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‘‘Fer I say it ag’in, this ain’t no place fer ye!” 

{page 218 .) 



THE 

AUTO BOYS’ 
OUTING 


By JAMES A. BRADEN 

AUTHOR OP 

“THE AUTO BOYS," “FAR PAST THE FRONTIER," 
“CONNECTICUT BOYS IN THE WESTERN 
RESERVE," “THE TRAIL OF THE 
SENECA," “CAPTIVES 
THREE," Etc. 


ILLUSTRATED BY ARTHUR DeBEBIAN 

S. 

1909 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

CHICAGO AKRON, OHIO NE^ YORK 









.1 


Copyright, 1909 

BY 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO* 




• % 





CI.A251322 


1- 


OONTSNTS 


Chapter Page 

I. On the Eve of Departure 9 

II. On the Koad 22 

III. A Mysterious Young Person 37 

IV. And Five There Were 51 

V. Ninety Miles to Go 66 

VI. A Bad Spill and the Result 81 

VII. At the Old Farmhouse 97 

VIII. The Anxiety of Jonas Tagg 113 

IX. An Interesting Discovery 130 

X. The Inscription None Could Decipher. 146 

XI. A Small Puncture and a Large Disturb- 
ance 163 

XII. The Interesting Developments of a 

Rainy Day 178 

XIII. Grandfather Beaman’s Papers 193 

XIV. Footsteps 211 

XV. A Tour of Exploration 228 

XVI. The Great Ball Game 245 

XVII. Trapped 266 

XVIII. What the Man in the Attic Told 283 

XIX. What the Stone Post Contained 299 

XX. A Severe Blow to the Auto Boys 317 

XXI. The Convenience of Owning an Auto- 
mobile 335 

XXII. The Greater Anxiety of Jonas Tagg. . . 353 

XXIII. The Hour Before Train Time 369 


XXIV. A Day of Incidents in Middle Run. . . 385 








\ 


ILLUSTEATIONS 

Page 

‘Fer I say it ag’in, this ain’t no place fer ye . 
Frontispiece 

‘You’re the fine, young lad!” called Jones, as he 
recognized the plate 42 

‘ We ’ve got him ! Let ’s take the ladder down ! ” . 204 

‘I guess these are the ones 1” came a good, strong, 
boyish voice suddenly at the doorway 348 



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CHAPTER I 


ON THE EVE OF DEPARTURE 

‘‘Just imagine the moon shining in through 
the windows and not a curtain, — not even an 
old rag to keep it out ! And there we are asleep 
on the floor of that empty house. Then away 
in the night when the wind moans mournful and 
solemn, suddenly a hoard creaks upstairs just 
like footsteps on the bare floor. Then all is 
still again and everything pitch dark, except 
just the one streak where the moon shines in.’’ 

Billy Worth drew up his shoulders almost to 
his ears, wound his arms about himself and 
went through all the motions of a frightened 
shudder in contemplation of the weird picture 
his words presented. 

“Oh fudge! You can’t scare me for sour 
apples, Billy,” came from Dave MacLester, 
“but I wish you wouldn’t make up any more of 

9 


10 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


that kind of talk. Let’s think of the good, 
bright blaze in the old fireplace and — and some- 
thing pleasant,” he added protestingly. 

‘‘Sure !” chipped in Paul Jones, in that shrill, 
brisk voice of his, so entirely his own there 
never was any mistaking him. 

“Sure!” said Paul, “let’s talk about how 
away up in that old, dark attic where never a 
living thing but spiders and cobwebs and 
maybe spooks an’ goblins has been all these 
years — there lies tonight — lies right there in the 
dark and the dust — Grandfather Beaman’s 
wooden leg and the strange marks on it that 
nobody could ever make out.” 

Dave let go no very gentle drive with his open 
hand toward Jones’ head, but the timely duck- 
ing of that member by its alert young owner 
caused MacLester only to fan the air. 

“Say, when you four-year-olds get through 
with your kindergarten, we’ll talk business,” 
admonished Phil Way, with rather more of 
sarcasm than he usually displayed. “But, 
Dave, the more you show that such talk makes 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


11 


you .fidget, the more you’ll hear of it. Now, 
let’s get serious. Did anybody get that map 
George Wilder said he’d have for us!” 

my jeans this very minute,” spoke up 
Billy Worth. 

^‘And there’s a tip-top grocery at Middle Eun 
and that’s only about two miles away,” put in 
Paul Jones, with sudden enthusiasm. ‘‘I was 
going to mention it before. Mr. Wilder has 
been up that way and he told me an’ Bill about 
it.” 

^Me an’ Bill,’ ” jeered Dave MacLester 
good-naturedly, but most tauntingly. 

^^Oh, go on, you: You aren’t no gram- 
marian ! ’ ’ 

The care with which Mr. J ones said ‘ ^ aren ’t ’ ’ 
in this sentence made the blunder in its con- 
struction all the funnier. Little he minded the 
laugh given him, though. He had feelings, but 
friends could not offend. Yet let an enemy 
scotf and — well, there ’d be danger of a scrim- 
mage though the otfending party were twice 
his size. 


12 THE AUTO BOYE* OUTING 

But now again Phil Way brought the conver- 
sation back to the real business of the outing 
the four young friends had in prospect. ‘ ‘ How 
about fishing tackled’ he inquired. ‘‘That 
hasn't been checked off the list in any way, so 
far." 

“Going to see about it the first thing in the 
morning," declared Dave. “I thought we had 
enough at the cave but the snags in the old creek 
have finally got the most of it. I’ll got plenty 
in the morning, so check that off as done." 

“Not for a minute," came from Phil with 
emphasis. “We’ll not check even that frowsy 
old hammock that Jones insists on, and that I 
wish to goodness he’d forget, till he says it’s 
ready to be loaded in." 

Then, item after item. Way called out and 
each was found to have been provided. 

“Gee Whiz! we’ll have enough stu:ff to just 
about furnish that old house!" ejaculated Paul 
Jones; and to almost anyone it would appear 
that he was right. Indeed, just how all the pro- 
visions, cooking utensils, bedding, personal bag- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


13 


gage and a score or more of various individual 
items were going to be carried in an ordinary 
touring car, together with four passengers, 
looked like a very large problem. 

Some such thought came to Dave MacLester, 
perhaps, for perfect stack of stuff we ^11 
never need!’’ he growled. We ’ll take a cart- 
load of fishing tackle and never catch one single, 
solitary, little shiner. We’ll take two or three 
bats and a half-dozen balls and never so much 
as play ante-over!” But there was a trifie 
more than a streak of pessimism in Dave’s 
make-up and his comments were so often of 
indigo blue that friends were not disturbed. 

The chums were neither worried nor alarmed 
on this occasion, at least. Far from it. Their 
pleasurable anticipations ran too high to permit 
of being chilled by a couple of discouraging pre- 
dictions. A long-looked-for and well-deserved 
vacation was just at hand. An outing which 
promised worlds of fun and much of serious 
interest was in prospect and following, as it did, 
a season of good, earnest work which had 


14 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


earned for the four friends a first-class anto- 
mobile, fnlly paid for and all their own, their 
hearts were buoyant indeed as they completed 
their preparations. 

The silvery moonlight of an early August 
evening shone tranquilly down as the boys dis- 
cussed their plans. Phil and Dave sat in a lawn 
swing where the rays from a lamp in Dr. Way’s 
window enabled the former to read his itemized 
list of their traveling and other requirements. 
On Phil’s right, Billy Worth, with his arms hug- 
ging his knees, was seated on the ground, while 
Paul Jones sprawled at full length on the left, 
his eyes turning lazily skyward. 

It was Monday night and the last the lads 
would have at home for almost a month. Their 
two-days’ journey overland was to have its be- 
ginning at ten o’clock the following morning. 
Even now the thirty horse-power car was for 
the most part loaded and ready in the green and 
yellow shed the friends called their garage. 

Under some large, old elms this bright, little 
building stood in the back yard of the Way 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


15 


residence. It was the home and shelter of the 
automobile and more. There was a business- 
like looking desk in one corner, also account 
books and papers and furniture which, alto- 
gether, gave unmistakable evidence of some 
kind of an office. 

There was a work-bench, with no small array 
of tools upon it, along one wall. Of the half- 
dozen electric bulbs within the shed, one was 
lighted and over and over again its brightness 
was reflected in the brightly polished lamps and 
brass work of the car. 

From the little garage to where its youthful 
owners were seated was but a stone’s throw. 
The only wonder was that the boys were even 
thus far away. All summer long, when not at 
work or out with the machine itself, they had 
lingered fondly about the green and yellow shed 
and the precious thing of power and beauty that 
it housed. 

And now for whole days together the chums 
were to know no separation from their auto nor 
from each other. Blessed days and all that they 


16 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


had in store! What adventure, what danger 
and what discoveries the next few weeks were 
to bring forth not Phil nor Billy Worth nor 
Dave nor Pan! suspected or foresaw for a single 
moment. And it was surely much better so. 

To begin with, a somewhat unusual place had 
been chosen for the outing. Not to a crowded 
resort of the seaside or the mountains were the 
boys going; not to a wilderness far from civil- 
ization, automobile supplies and other comforts 
were their thoughts turning, but to a deserted 
and empty old farmhouse standing amidst 
neglected surroundings, and at its back a weed- 
grown garden sloping down to a gently flowing 
river. 

The latter, with its splendid opportunities for 
Ashing and for swimming, was surely an attrac- 
tion, but not the only thing which drew the Auto 
Boys. Nor were the grassy banks, cool and in- 
viting, where the broad stream skirted an old, 
old, apple orchard, the magnet. It was the 
ancient house, weather-beaten, gloomy and 


THE AUTO B0T8’ OUTJNO 


17 


silent, wliicli probably held the foremost place 
in the lads’ minds. 

Still, it was quite by chance the chums had 
chosen the spot described as the scene of their 
vacation. The old house, years before, had 
been the home of Paul’s grandfather. It was 
this that brought the place to the boys’ knowl- 
edge and also made it available for their pur- 
pose. The distance from Lannington, their 
home, was sufficient to make the automobile 
journey of satisfactory length, yet not great 
enough to cause the trip to be expensive. 

The empty dwelling, gloomy and forbidding 
as it appeared to passersby, held for the lads^ 
in addition to the shelter it would provide, an 
air of mystery and romance, so often clinging 
to houses once bright with lights and gay with 
laughter, but long since left empty and alone. 
The old barn upon the premises, gray and 
storm-beaten, would furnish a roof, though un- 
doubtedly a leaky one, for their car. 

Summing up these attractions, together with 
those of the river, there were included, of 


18 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


course, the delights of the country generally 
with its outdoor life of many kinds, and miles 
and miles of roads, and little towns and vil- 
lages, — all fertile territory for interesting trips 
of exploring in the automobile. 

The bit of family tradition in connection with 
the old home to which Paul Jones alluded in his 
teasing words to Dave MacLester — Grandfather 
Beaman’s wooden leg, and the strange marks 
upon it, the meaning of which nobody could ever 
make out, — was often a subject of conversation 
among the young friends. They had heard the 
story time and again, both before and after hav- 
ing chosen the abandoned dwelling for their 
outing. That some possible discovery in regard 
to this matter was one of the things to which 
they looked forward, however, is quite improb- 
able. Nor would it be too much, I believe, to 
say they had no thought of such a thing. 

Interested the boys naturally were to inspect 
the curious figures the old gentleman burned 
upon the wood which had taken the place of the 
good, right, lower limb he left on the field of 


TEE AUTO BOYB’ OUTING 


19 


battle; but they had no expectation of being 
able to decipher their significance. Tradition 
said many had tried to do so, but in vain. Per- 
haps the crude characters had no particular 
meaning. No one knew. 

Mr. Beaman’s mind had not been strong in 
his later years. A number of things gave evi- 
dence of this. Land that it was supposed he 
owned was found, after he died, to belong to 
others. Papers which he had been supposed to 
have were never found at all. 

The uncommunicative, suspicious ways the 
old gentleman had had for some years leading 
up to the time of his death were now considered, 
also, to be due to a more or less shattered 
mental condition. Thus he had, people said, 
idly burned meaningless figures upon his 
wooden leg just as he made wholly unnecessary 
and useless boxes and bins in the barn; just 
as he built needless walls, and posts and various 
objects in cement and wood about the dooryard 
of the rambling old-fashioned house. 

Paul Jones, not overly delicate in his conver- 


20 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


sation at any time, declared that his grand- 
father was surely ‘‘daify,^^ whatever that may 
be. In this not very respectful opinion he was 
supported to some extent openly, and to a large 
extent secretly, by John Wilby, the husband of 
Paul’s sister and only relative. 

Mrs. Wilby, on the other hand, was doubtful. 
Often she came out boldly and said Grand- 
father Beaman had been imposed upon and 
abused in life because he was just the least bit 
queer and too generous for his own good; and 
she, for one, would never believe, now that he 
was gone and could say never a word in ex- 
planation of what was not understood, that he 
was ever anything but a mild-mannered, quiet, 
honest man ; that he was just as sensible as any 
who ever questioned his conduct, and she didn’t 
know but a great deal more so. 

However, whether the poor gentleman was 
possessed of perfect faculties or not concerned 
the Auto Boys not at all. If asked to express 
themselves upon the subject they would prob- 
ably have agreed with Paul. As they were not 


THE AVTO B0Y8’ OUTING 


21 


asked, and as no one so mucli as hinted that the 
old house, which would he their home for a con- 
siderable period, was anything more than just 
such an empty, abandoned dwelling as one might 
see along almost any country road, they little 
expected that Grandfather Beaman would he a 
figure of any note in their outing. Indeed, no 
one would have been more surprised than they 
had the curtain of the future been lifted before 
them as they sat there in the moonlight talking 
of the days to come. 


CHAPTER II 


ON THB ROAD 

‘^Well, weVe just got to leave something 
out ! ^ ’ 

The speaker was Billy Worth. He stood 
with Phil Way, Dave MacLester and Paul Jones 
beside the automobile loaded and ready for 
their vacation tour and outing. 

Plainly, the car would be somewhat more than 
comfortably filled by the time its four young 
owners were aboard. By means of baggage 
straps a great bale of bedding and blankets was 
attached to a rack on the rear of the tonneau. 
On the running boards various tools, including 
spade, ax, coil of rope, hatchets, fishing poles, 
lanterns, a small gasoline stove, and two suit 
cases of baggage, to say nothing of a couple of 
spare tires, were securely strapped. 

In the tonneau were boxes and baskets of pro- 
visions, cups, plates and other dishes, a kettle 
22 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


23 


or two, a frying pan, a cotfee pot and four fold- 
ing camp stools. In front of the seat beside 
the driver, — who seemed likely, by the way, to 
be the only one who would have a reasonable 
amount of space for the disposition of either 
limbs or body — was a soap box. This contained 
mor^ household necessities such as soap, 
matches, clothesline, a wash basin and a scrub- 
bing brush. 

Plainly, as has been said, the auto was pretty 
completely loaded. 

“I say something or other’s got to be left be- 
hind,” declared Billy Worth again. 

Leave that measly hammock,” suggested 
Dave MacLester. 

We shall not ! Throw out a few of those old 
stew pans and things,” Paul ejaculated force- 
fully. 

tell you, fellows,” said Phil Way, ^‘a lot 
of this personal baggage won’t be needed. If 
anybody gets his shirt torn and has to change, 
or anything like that, let him borrow. There’s 


24 


TEE AUTO BOYS' OUTING 


na sense in each man of ns having a whole out- 
fit. This is no race to Paris 
Phil ’s suggestions were usually adopted, and 
usually they disposed of all arguments ; but not 
so in this instance. 

‘‘ What^s all this soap forP^ demanded Paul 
Jones, delving into the box in front. ‘‘Two, 
four, six! Six bars of soap! I’d like to know 
who ’s going to use it P ’ 

“Not pou, I bet,” Dave chipped in with sar- 
casm. 

“Well, I should hope not.U* was the lively re- 
joinder. “And a scrubbin’ brush! Great balls 
of wax!” continued Mr. Jones with more fervor 
than elegance, “what do some of you fellows 
think this isf A pink teaP’ 

“Well, Paul’s about right, at that,” broke in 
Billy Worth. “What’s the use of lugging along 
an old scrub brush?” 

“Hush up, you two, will you!” demanded 
Phil Way. “Dave’s sister put that brush in 
along with the matches. What’s the harm in 
taking it?” 


THE AUTO BOYE^ OUTING 


25 


‘‘Say, give me that brush! Give it here ^ ex- 
claimed MacLester suddenly. In another mo- 
ment he had deposited the offending article in 
a corner of the little garage, in about such a 
manner as he would have sent a flat stone skip- 
ping over the water at Star Lake. “That’s one 
of her jokes/^ said he, with a grin, evidently 
referring to his sister. “7 didn’t know she sent 
the thing along. And all that soap, when one 
cake would do! That’s her joke, too. But we 
can melt the soap and make grease for the car 
if we’d have to. It ain’t like it was no good for 
anything 1^^ 

“Well, that’s so, and I reckon we can take 
everything we’ve got noiu/^ chirped Paul in his 
shrill, lively way, and the others assented. 

The removal of the brush had reduced the 
load of the car by at least four ounces ; because 
it was a good, large business-like sort of a brush 
to begin with, and well calculated to convey the 
substantial hint Dave’s sister seemed to have 
intended. There was no gain in space by this 
tremendous reduction in the car’s load, however. 


26 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


The box in front occupied jnst as much room 
as before. 

Yet, perhaps the principal profit in the throw- 
ing ont of the brush was not in the lessened 
weight to be carried; no, not at all. It was in 
the final settlement of the troublesome propo- 
sition that something must be left behind. 

Not that the Auto Boys were in danger of 
quarreling over the subject, much as their lan- 
guage might have indicated such a situation to 
the casual listener. Never that. Their style of 
conversation was quite likely to be of the give- 
and-take variety. Quick brains and sharp 
tongues were often responsible for words that, 
imder other circumstances, would have wounded 
deeply; but the perfect friendship cementing 
this quartet of young Americans took the sting 
from the most caustic expressions of its mem- 
bers, when used among themselves, at least. 

^‘Nine o’clock,’^ announced Phil, coming from 
the house, whither he had run for a moment, 
‘‘and now everybody better skip along and get 
his parting tears shed so’s to be all ready at 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 2T 

exactly ten. If you insist on leaving your ham- 
mock behind, Paul, now’s your chance to lug it 
home and put it where ’twill be real safe. ’ ’ 

Phil did not often indulge in irony and Dave 
and Billy both laughed at this last shot at the 
faded, dilapidated contraption Paul was bent 
on taking with him. 

‘^I’d take that blessed old hammock along 
now, by Jimminy, if it didn’t leave room for 
anything else. Honest Injun, I just would/* 
Jones declared with a resolute grin. “And I 
only hope I won’t have to fight to get into it a 
decent share of the time.” 

With a parting sally to the effect that the pos- 
sessor of the article in question should by no 
means suffer any loss of sleep, lest anybody 
might wish to deprive him of that property, the 
chums separated. 

On their good-byes to the home folks they 
were leaving there is no need to dwell. They 
were a good, average lot of well-grown boys. If 
their voices were subdued, their hearts softened, 
and their more tender feelings stirred as, each 


28 


THE AUTO BOYB* OUTING 


with his own dear ones, — mother, sister, father, 
brother, — they exchanged farewells, as I hope 
and believe was the case, it is entirely to their 
credit. 

But now the car is under way and a sight 
worth walking many a block to see, it surely is. 
Billy Worth is at the wheel, his practiced eye 
scanning the pavement and his steady hand 
keeping the wheels always in the best course. 
Billy is a black-haired, bulky, but strong and 
alert chap of nearly fifteen years. Dave Mac- 
Lester, considerably larger, a little older, and 
a rather serious and not very optimistic young 
fellow — still, a good companion, always — sits 
beside him. 

In the tonneau are Phil and Paul. The for- 
mer ’s legs are much too long for the space avail- 
able for their disposal, for, as has been seen, 
the auto is well laden. By keeping one foot on 
the seat and another braced against a rope bind- 
ing the baggage down, however, Phil makes 
himself comfortable. His position is not digni- 
fied, but he doesuT worry on that score. At 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 29 

least his bright, clean-cut face wears a very 
cheerful expression neath the visor of his motor 
cap. His age is not yet a month past fifteen, 

With cap pulled rakishly low on one side, his 
slender, wiry figure doubled up like a jackknife 
as he sinks into a corner of the deep, wide seat 
beside Phil, Paul Jones contemplates the days 
of play in store and unconsciously smiles 
broadly. He has a pleasing, rather innocent ex- 
pression ; but back of those blue eyes and under 
that sandy hair, in no danger of injury from 
too much brushing, there is a mind which should 
cause no one to take his look of artlessness too 
seriously. The youngest of all is Paul, but he 
is certainly not the most backward on this or 
any other account; nor the least courageous or 

jolly. 

^^Say! There’s Sam Carewl He’s a fine 
young squash! Where do you s’pose he^s 
going!” 

This exclamation came from Paul as he 
caught sight of a young gentleman of about fif- 
teen years, suit case in hand, turning into a side 


30 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


street toward the Union station. The antomo- 
bile was bowling along merrily and those on the 
front seat did not hear. 

‘‘Sam’s kept himself pretty qniet, lately,” 
Phil Way observed. “It’s ’most too bad.” 

Panl Jones’ nncomplimentary comment with 
regard to Mr. Samnel Carew, Jr., as well as Phil 
Way’s more kindly answer, those of yon who 
have read “The Anto Boys,” the first of this 
series, will quickly understand. 

Sam Carew it was who played spy for the 
Star Lake Club. He it was, also, who carried 
out for them the plan of humiliating the Auto 
Boys, in connection with the tragedy of that 
lonely road where Huckster Binski lived. You 
will recall how, indirectly, this very act proved 
a boomerang and led to the disgrace and undo- 
ing of the Star Lake fellows. 

Well might Sam Carew, as Phil remarked, 
keep himself “quiet.” Yet he was not a half 
bad sort of fellow, but for his silly habit of 
bragging and his too active imagination, before 
he fell in with the Star Lake cousins. Very 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


31 


foolishly he had permitted them to make a cats- 
paw of him, and following their well-deserved 
downfall he had scarcely a friend remaining. 
Fred Perth and other former associates had 
given him the cold shonlder in no uncertain way 
after his desertion of them for the gay company 
at the Lake; and now Sam had ample time to 
ponder over his silly actions and their unhappy 
consequences. 

Just how Carew would appear in future as 
a result of the early summer’s experiences was 
a subject to which Phil Way gave his thoughts 
while the auto sped smoothly over the familiar 
west road. And he made up his mind then and 
there that if Sam showed by his bearing that he 
wanted to let by-gones be by-gones, make 
amends and a fresh start, he was entitled to a 
^‘square deal” and ought to have it — ought to 
have the good will of the Auto Boys, even, and 
should have it, too, if he, Phil, could help. 

With his thoughts in lines of which the fore- 
going is the substance, Phil sought to find how 
Paul Jones would regard the idea. ‘‘Sam will 


32 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


be a better fellow since he’s found it doesn’t 
pay to get everybody down on him, ’ ’ he said. 

^^Sam Carew’s going to Middle Eun to stay 
till school begins,” called Billy Worth over his 
shoulder, at the same moment. ‘^Some of his 
folks told Dave’s sister.” 

‘‘Just talking about him. Saw him with a 
suit case going to the station,” Phil called above 
the noisy rush of the wind, for Billy was making 
the speedometer register thirty an hour on a 
good stretch of straight away. “Why, say, 
we won’t be but a little way from Middle 
Eun ! I didn’t know he was going there,” Way 
added. 

“Going to stay with a chap named Joe Kalie. 
They used to live neighbors, somewhere, before 
Sam’s folks came to Lannington,” Dave Mac- 
Lester announced. 

“We’ve got to treat Sam white, fellows, if he 
wants to meet us anywhere near half way. 
That is, if we should see him over there, or if 
we don’t see him till school starts. He’s had 
about grief enough!” 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


33 


“He’ll have to come across good an’ plenty, 
then I” piped Panl Jones. 

Whether Sam did “come across,” if by that 
phrase it may be understood that Paul meant 
that he must show a disposition to make himself 
agreeable, or whether he did not “come across,” 
will be apparent in due season. The point to 
which attention is called at this time is that the 
Auto Boys were big enough and broad enough 
to give him a fair chance, if they found him at 
all disposed to change the tactics which had 
brought him only suffering and humiliation. 

Lannington had been left forty miles behind, 
according to one guide post, and thirty-two 
miles, if certain others were to be believed, — 
for these, like other signs, are not always in- 
fallible — when the Auto Boys paused for a noon- 
day lunch at the roadside. They had not been 
successful in finding a thoroughly desirable spot, 
and the one finally chosen was beneath a large 
oak where apparently someone else had made 
camp quite recently. 

There were the ashes of a small fire, and the 


34 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


tall grass, gray with the dust from the highway, 
was trampled to the ground. A number of 
broken and empty egg-shells and cobs and 
charred husks of green corn scattered about 
gave evidence that the spot had lately been a 
meal-time stopping place of other travelers. 

Phil and Dave promptly marched off with a 
bucket to bring fresh water from a farmhouse 
a quarter-mile farther on along the road. 
Billy and Paul busied themselves kindling a fire 
to make coffee. Then, while they still waited, 
a basket of sandwiches, pickles, pie and cheese, 
provided expressly for lunches en route, was 
opened and made ready for a most enthusias- 
tic — not to say violent — attack upon its con- 
tents. 

The two were thus occupied when they sud- 
denly discovered themselves observed. Peep- 
ing through the space between the steering 
wheel and the driver’s seat, from the opposite 
side of the car, was a pair of questioning brown 
eyes. They belonged to a very young person, 
evidently, and when they discovered two other 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


35 


pair of optics looking toward them, that is to 
say, Billy Worth’s and Panl Jones’ eyes, they 
disappeared instantly. 

‘‘Hi, there! What do you wantT’ Billy 
sang out good-humoredly. It was no new ex- 
perience to find youngsters, and even grown 
people, gratifying their curiosity about the 
automobile, particularly in the country. 

Paul Jones, on the other hand, ran quickly 
around the machine to get a better look at the 
young stranger. To his surprise and astonish- 
ment he found no one there. In amazed tones 
he imparted this information to his companion, 
and Billy, with equal surprise, joined in a 
search. 

Could it he possible that the young creature 
had somehow leaped the fence into the field of 
full-grown corn alongside I As presently the 
two boys went in that direction to look for 
tracks or other clues they were attracted by a 
skurry in the tall grass and weeds among which 
the car stood. Out from under the machine 
there crept with wonderful agility the odd little 


36 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


stranger. Like a flash he was on his feet and 
darting down the road in the direction from 
which the automobile had come. 

The two boys laughed in whole-souled merri- 
ment at the seemingly silly fright of the little 
chap; for a good look as he emerged from his 
hiding showed him to be very dirty and unkempt 
youngster of not more than eleven years. No 
doubt he belonged to one of the farmhouses of 
the neighborhood and, drawn by unbridled 
curiosity, had crept up to get a close inspection 
of the wonders of the ‘‘Thirty’’ while the own- 
ers’ backs were turned. 

Dave and Phil joined in the laugh, too, when 
told of the incident, and the joke helped make 
the roadside dinner very enjoyable, despite 
MacLester’s solemn prediction that they would 
run entirely out of provisions within three days. 
However, there was consternation and to spare 
a trifle later. Paul made the find. 

“Where’s our license tag?” he almost yelled. 
“We’ve lost our number plate, that’s what we 
have I” 


CHAPTER III 


A MYSTERIOUS YOUNG PERSON 

Young Mr. William Worth expressed the pro- 
found conviction that he would be flabber- 
gasted.^^ Mr. David McLeod MacLester was 
of the opinion that the outing was destined to 
be accompanied by constant misfortunes, any- 
way; and to this etfect, if not in just these 
words, declared his sentiments. 

‘‘No use fussing about it. The thing’s a 
goner and no amount of talk is going to bring 
it back.” This from Captain Philip Way 
seemed to state the situation quite correctly. 

Certain it is, the license number, hung on the 
rear of the car, had disappeared. Certain it is, 
also, that there was no prospect of anything 
being gained thereby though Paul Jones added, 
“It does beat thunder!” to the strong expres- 
sions of which Dave and Billy had already de- 
livered themselves. 


37 


38 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


The strangest fact was that the buckles of 
the straps by which the plate was,^tecured had 
been opened. The fastenings had not been 
broken. Clearly, then, the tag had not fallen 
of its own weight bnt had been removed by 
someone. How else conld the straps have been 
undone ? 

Phil Way recalled positively that the number 
was on the car when he and Billy had washed 
the machine, preparatory to their trip, the day 
before. He was equally positive the tag had 
not been taken otf by them for polishing or for 
any purpose, as Dave MacLester suggested. 

And as Billy Worth was able to confirm all 
that Phil said, the only conclusion to be reached 
was that the plate had been stolen before the 
car left Lannington. There had been no stop 
of any consequence along the way — no oppor- 
tunity at any time for thief or meddler to act, 
from the time the machine was backed out of 
the little green and yellow garage at home. 

But as Phil suggested, and as he succeeded 
at last in making the others understand, nothing 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


39 


could be done but admit the loss and determine 
what should be done about it. The latter was 
the important thing. To continue on without a 
license tag meant danger of arrest at the first 
village or at the hands of some country con- 
stable. To return to Lannington meant the loss 
of a whole day’s time. 

‘‘It’s only about four miles to Thomasboro,” 
said Phil, studying the road map. “ ’Tisn’t 
much of a burg but if there’s any kind of a gar- 
age there at all, we may be able to borrow a 
tag. Or, I’ll tell you what !” he exclaimed, hap- 
pily, “we’ll get Knight & Wilder on the long 
distance ’phone, and have them loan us a num- 
ber from one of their demonstrators or some- 
where. They can send it up on the evening train 
and we’ll lay up at Thomasboro till it comes.” 

This proposition met with approval at once; 
but a suggestion from Dave MacLester, the next 
moment, that whoever had takeruthe missing tag 
would not stop with that, but use it in some 
way to make its real owners trouble, caused a 
feeling of unpleasant apprehension. In short. 


40 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

the incident pnt upon the spirits of all the lads 
a damper that assuredly did not promise well 
for the pleasure of this trip to which all had so 
eagerly looked forward. 

‘‘You see, somebody could put our number 
on his car, then do something against the law, 
and get away. We’d get hauled up for it, be- 
cause the license register would show that No. 
6444 is ours,” MacLester persisted. He had 
said the same thing in as many different ways 
a half dozen times before and in a most doleful 
manner always. 

Nevertheless, Captain Phil’s proposal in re- 
gard to a way out of the difficulty found general 
favor, as it also did him credit. It showed there 
was gray matter under that motor cap of his, 
and that he knew the purpose of it. He knew 
how to use his head, in other words, an accom- 
plishment just as much worth while in play as 
it is in work. And now, when he said, “ We’ll 
have to move to reach Thomasboro in time to 
have George Knight get a new plate on that 
train, ’ ’ all four boys eagerly prepared to start. 


TEE AVTO BOYS^ OUTING 


41 


“Gee, Dave, this car’s got load enough with- 
out that case of dumps of yours. Chuck ’em 
out!” said Paul Jones cheerily, climbing into 
the tonneau, whither MacLester had preceded 
him, still predicting trouble. 

Billy Worth was cranking the motor and in 
another moment the Thirty, as the machine was 
named, would have been in motion; but as he 
straightened up, he caught sight of an object 
a little way down the road that caused his mouth 
to open in astonishment. The others, seeing 
his wondering look, turned quickly about and 
all beheld a slim, and not very long, little figure 
running toward them, frantically waving above 
his head the missing license tag. 

“Say, you’re the fine, young lad!” called 
Jones, gleefully, over the back of the tonneau, 
as he recognized the plate. “Did ye find it in 
the road?” he asked, smiling joyfully, as the 
diminutive stranger came up close. 

“I get lo. I get you lolt it,” the youngster 
answered. 

“ You what?'* demanded Paul, laughing. 


42 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


‘‘Hush up! I understand him. He lisps, 
that’s all,” said Phil Way in an undertone. 
Directly all four boys clambered out of the car 
to examine the so unexpectedly recovered metal 
tag. 

“Say, you’re the same fellow that was 
snoopin’ around here a bit ago! Where ’d you 
say you got the license 1 ’ ’ spoke MacLester brus- 
quely, looking the boy over. “ Where ’d you say 
you found it, boy?” 

Shifting from one dirty, bare foot to the 
other, his dancing eyes looking everywhere but 
at Dave, the youth made no reply. 

“You see it’s mighty strange that those 
straps were unbuckled and that the tag got o:ff 
in just that way without any help,” put in Billy 
Worth. 

All were now gazing curiously at the odd, 
little fellow who appeared to be both frightened 
and puzzled. He was probably eleven years 
old but his slight, slender figure caused him to 
appear even younger. His only clothing con- 
sisted of a pair of long trousers, rolled up 



“You’re the fine, young lad!” called Jones, as he 
recognized the plate. 


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TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


43 


roughly half way to his knees, a very dirty, blue 
cotton shirt, one suspender and a battered, 
beaver hat, several sizes too large. 

A long, irregular rent down one seam of the 
first mentioned item of his apparel showed the 
bare and not very clean skin of one pitifully 
thin leg plainly. His torn shirt revealed a 
brown and dirty shoulder, also thin and wasted 
as if for want of sufficient nourishment. 

But his eyes! Large, bright, shining eyes, 
they gave to his wan face an appearance truly 
attractive despite the grime from ear to ear and 
the uncombed dark hair which hung over his 
forehead and temples. 

To Billy’s observation the boy made no re- 
sponse but still shifted his feet uneasily and 
now studied the front, now the rear wheel of 
the automobile, and now the bale of baggage 
strapped behind. 

‘^You look here, now! You crawled in under 
and swiped that plate otf the car yourself, didn ’t 
you?” demanded Paul quite harshly. 

Still no answer. A blue jay was crying un- 


44 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

musically from a wild cherry tree across the 
road. His voice was little sharper than Jones’. 
Maybe the strange boy thought something of the 
kind for he turned and looked inquiringly in the 
bird’s direction. 

Over in the corn field a breeze was rustling 
the long leaves and the engine of the Thirty was 
chugging gently. For several seconds there was 
no other sound. 

^‘Say, son, did you hook the tag or did you 
honestly find it?” asked Phil in a friendly way, 
smiling. 

get lo,” the youngster answered, turning 
his big eyes full upon the speaker. And then as 
if the smile and the friendly tone gave him 
courage, a sparkle kindling in his own glance, 
he said, ‘ ‘ Lat blue jay ling pretty loud. ’ ’ Slowly 
he thrust his hands deep in his pockets and 
looked at the ground as he added, ‘ ‘ I never had 
a ride in an automobile. Wit I could. ’ ’ 

There was something very pathetic in the lit- 
tle chap’s longing gaze at the big car and the 
soft, half sorrowful tone of the voice, made 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


45 


child-like by his lisping. Yet his manner was 
funny, too, and Paul Jones laughed zestfully. 

Being far from sensitive himself, Paul un- 
fortunately seldom thought to spare those who 
might be. Still, Jones ^ merriment helped to 
produce a little laugh all around, save from the 
newcomer. 

‘ ‘ Tell us the straight of it just where you got 
our number plate and we’ll give you a ride in 
the automobile. Eight up on the front seat, and 
maybe we ’ll let you drive her a little way, ’ ’ said 
Phil Way in that open, friendly manner that 
made it easy for him to be at once on good terms 
with anyone. ‘‘Tell us all about it, son.” 

“You going lat way?” asked the boy, point- 
ing along the road in the direction the car 
headed. 

Phil nodded and answered, “Yes.” 

The others were standing near, both inter- 
ested and curious. 

“How far can I ride?” was the next inquiry 
and Phil answered, “As far as you will want to 
walk back. But hurry up and tell about the tag. 


46 


THE AUTO BOYB’ OUTING 


We have ever so far to go and ought to be 
started now/’ 

‘‘Lay we all get in an’ I’ll tell about it along 
le way,” came the response and a worldly-wise 
look in those big brown eyes. 

“Pile in then,” cried Billy Worth cheerily, 
but impatiently, too, and in another moment 
with Dave and Paul he was in the tonneau. The 
new boy needed no invitation more than he had 
previously received, to climb nimbly to the seat 
beside the driver, while Phil took the wheel. 

Smoothly, easily, as it always did, the Thirty 
took the road and as the speed increased the 
expression on the young stranger’s face grew 
more and more delighted. Then Phil slowed 
down to a ten-an-hour rate. So did the car pro- 
ceed a couple of miles, perhaps. 

“Say, Pete, you’re forgetting something, I 
guess, ’ ’ called Dave MacLester, and he reached 
forward, tapping the dilapidated beaver hat in 
front of him. 

The boy made no response and only turned 
about with a half -mischievous, half-injured look 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


4:7 


when Paul Jones added: ^‘Look here, young 
fellow, we won’t let you get out of this car till 
you tell all about that tag of ours, and you’re 
getting a good ways from home, mind!” 

get lo,” the youngster answered soberly, 
but with that same odd, knowing glance. 

‘‘I guess so, too, sonny,” Phil Way spoke 
quietly. ‘‘A bargain’s a bargain, you know. 
You don’t want to have to walk a long way back 
and we can’t take you. Let’s hear it now. I’ll 
drive just easy, and then maybe you can steer a 
bit.” 

‘‘Let it go fat lome more,” was the only re- 
sponse and the usually calm, kindly fellow at 
the wheel gave way to a sudden impulse to play 
what might have been a rather mean trick, by 
being the extreme of accommodating. If this 
mysterious young person wanted to go fast, and 
that was evidently what he meant, though he 
pronounced it ‘ ‘ fat, ’ ’ his desire should be grati- 
fied. If he got a good three miles or more from 
home, that would be his fault. 

Although the road right here was not the 


48 


THE AUTO BOYE’ OUTING 


best, Phil at once let the speedometer shoot up 
to the twenty-five-an-hour mark, — a fast pace 
for the load carried. His chums in the tonneau 
had heard the young stranger’s evasive answer 
and request for speed. Guessing the joke, they 
smiled broadly as the distance their new ac- 
quaintance would have to trudge back was rap- 
idly increased. That behind those great, bright 
eyes there was never a thought of doing such 
a thing not once suggested itself to them. 

Not a word was spoken. Thomasboro, a mere 
hamlet built up about the country railroad sta- 
tion, was reached. Not until then did Phil slow 
down. At the four corners marking Thomas- 
boro ’s center he stopped the car. 

‘‘Want to go any farther?” he asked signifi- 
cantly. 

“Yet, I get lo,” the queer little passenger 
answered ; and, ‘ ‘ Sure, let him have a nice long 
ride,” chuckled Paul Jones. 

Billy and Dave nodded assent as Way looked 
inquiringly around. There was no need to stop 
now that the lost license had been recovered. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


49 


and with a glance at the guide post to be sure of 
his direction, the driver slipped the clutch to 
place. A smile of determination flitted over his 
face, as for a moment he caught the strange 
boy’s eye. 

The minutes passed. Thomasboro was a mile 
to the rear. Not a word from Master Lisper 
yet. Of a sudden the car stopped. 

‘‘Now, Bright Eyes, this has ceased to be a 
joke,” said Phil Way, equally suddenly. 
“YouVe got to get out of here and hike along 
home. AVhat’ll your folks say, anyway?” 

But that pair of wondering, yet knowing, eyes 
simply turned away. Their owner said nothing. 

“Come! Out you go!” commanded Phil, 
firmly, and gently pushed the boy’s arm. 

“But he’s got to tell about that tag, you 
know,” Dave suggested. 

“Come on, Pete! I’ll bet you’re not half so 
green as you pretend, either.” 

“Well, we won’t mind the tag, son, let it go; 
but you’ve got to skedaddle right now.” 

“Sixteen plus seven, you know,” suggested 


60 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO, 

Billy, feeling pretty sure the stranger did not 
know his meaning. 

^^Hop along, now! Are you goingf^^ Phil 
urged, in a pretty business-like tone. 

get not. I get I’ll go along where you go. 
I tink I like you pretty well.” 

^AVell, I bet I know your name,” laughed 
Paul Jones. ‘‘Why, you’re a first cousin to I. 
M. Pudence, sure ! ’ ’ 

“I get lo,” said the odd little creature once 
again, and in his smile was such a mixture of 
guile and innocence that none knew what to 
make of it. But as he tossed back the dark hair 
from his forehead and turned his face to the 
tonneau the chums could not but notice that he 
was a remarkably handsome youngster, despite 
the dirt and rags. 


CHAPTER IV 


AND FIVE THERE WERE 

Already the afternoon was well advanced. 
Less than fifteen miles ahead lay Sunfield, 
scheduled as the night stopping place. What 
should be done ? Clearly, Bright Eyes could not 
be taken so far. Clearly, he must be disposed 
of in some way and quickly; but how? His thin 
little legs were certainly not equal to the long 
tramp home. Though he had been warned, he 
was too little to hold strictly accountable be- 
cause of that. 

Some such thoughts were in Phil Way^s mind. 
The frank, engaging manner in which the little 
shaver had said in his own lisping way, “I tink 
I like you pretty well,’^ make the older lad just 
a bit ashamed to have carried him so far. 

‘ Hf we take you back to Thomasboro will you 
run along home from there?’’ asked Way, at 
last. 


51 


52 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


The boy, shook his head from side to side. 

‘‘If we take you on to Sunfield will you go 
back to Thomasboro on the train, then hike 
home, if we pay your fareT^ 

‘ ‘ Sure, you will, ’ ’ put in Paul J ones. ‘ ‘ Sure ! 
You can say ‘I get lo’ to that, can’t you?” 

“You see we like you real well and all that, 
and would like to take you along, but it would 
never do at all, at all,” put in Billy, coaxingly. 

The way the youngster refused to answer was 
aggravating. Even Phil was not a little irri^ 
tated. “You’ve got to speak up, here, one way 
or another, or we’ll simply have to pitch you 
out and leave you,” said he. 

“All right len. I don’t care,” the boy ex- 
claimed at last in a quick, decisive, self-reliant 
way and hopped down from his seat beside Phil 
and stood at the roadside. 

His great eyes again looked longingly, oh, 
very longingly indeed, at the car. Otherwise his 
expression was quite as usual, showing neither 
anger because of his being denied a still longer 
ride, nor pleasure for that which had been given 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


63 


Mm. If anytMng beside the hungering look was 
in his face, it was sorrow or something closely 
like it, — a sort of melancholy. 

^‘Bye-bye,’’ called Phil in a friendly way and 
slowly the Thirty moved off. 

‘‘Go light home, lat^s a good boy,’^ Paul Jones 
shouted, imitating the little fellow’s broken 
speech. But none of the three in the tonneau 
chanced to look back over the bale of supplies 
strapped behind, and if the youthful adventurer 
answered or even heard, they did not know. 

‘ ‘ What do you suppose that bantam meant by 
riding so far and insisting on going further? 
He’ll have about five miles to walk, if he doesn’t 
find a ride,” remarked Billy Worth when the 
Thirty was again in full swing. 

“D’ye know, I think the cherub has us all 
butfaloed,” suggested Paul. 

“WMy didn’t he want to tell about that tag? 
We didn’t care a lot where he got it, after we 
had it back again, anj^ay.” 

None of this conversation reached Phil on the 
front seat, but he was thinking along the same 


54 TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

lines for, when Dave climbed over to the vacant 
place beside him, he said: Funny how that 

boy has made me think of all the fairy tale he- 
roes I ever read about, from eJack the Giant 
Killer to Aladdin and — ” 

^‘Aladdin and his wonderful Gamps,’ ” broke 
in Dave with a laugh, making a slang reference 
to the strange boy’s extraordinary eyes. But 
he went on at once, quite seriously: ‘‘There’ll 
be no good come of our picking him up, you 
see.” In which prediction of some unseen mis- 
fortune — or fear of no bridge over some river 
that would never be reached nor exist — Mr. 
David MacLester was entirely like himself. 

Fortunately Phil knew his friend too well to 
be disturbed by all the foretelling of trouble in 
which Dave might indulge. He laughed at the 
prophecy, yet he pondered long regarding the 
strange boy, too, and was sorry they had not 
turned back with him, at least to Thomasboro. 

Travel-stained, but purring along as quietly 
and easily as could be desired, the car of the 
Auto Boys rolled into the smooth, and delight- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


66 


fully shaded streets of Sunfield. Children 
stopped their play to see it pass. Boys looked 
wistfully after the big machine and its young 
passengers, so evidently on pleasure bent. 

Whence came these youthful travelers and 
whither were they bound? Undoubtedly^ these 
questions in some form, a half hundred in- 
dividuals, — old ladies, young ladies, old men, 
young men, boys and girls — asked themselves, 
or one another, while the Thirty sped com- 
fortably along the main street of the little town. 

Lying somewhat away from the most fre- 
quented roads, Sunfield seldom saw auto tour- 
ists and the four friends quickly discovered that 
they attracted much attention. Indeed, on two 
occasions people called out to them, but the 
words were not heard distinctly and, thinking 
they were only greetings, a wave of the hand 
was sufficient answer. So did the car glide into 
the yard of the little hotel on the corner, where 
quarters for the night were to be engaged. 

Out over the baggage that crowded the ton- 
neau clambered Billy and PauL From his 


56 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


place at the wheel Phil Way jumped down and 
Dave followed. Shaking the dust from caps 
and coats, and Phil pulling off his goggles, they 
prepared to enter the hostelry to arrange for 
their accommodations. 

‘‘Step this way. How many of youf’’ called 
a brisk young fellow in shirt sleeves, who had 
stood in the doorway. 

“I get lere are five,^’ came a treble voice in 
answer. 

No need to ask whose I The chums recognized 
it instantly. 

“Gee Whiz! It’s Jack, the Giant Killer!” 
cried Phil Way, bursting into a laugh in spite 
of himself. ‘ ‘ Where in the world did you come 
from?” he demanded. 

And while the four wondering friends gazed 
in astonishment, the mysterious boy pointed to 
the big baggage rack and straps, which sup- 
ported the goods fastened to the rear. For 
mile after mile he had clung to them. He had 
suffered hardship but he had not been left 


THE AVTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


57 


behind, and his eyes shone both mischievously 
and pleadingly. 

“Why, certainly, we’re glad yon came! 
You’re our man Friday,” laughed Billy Worth, 
as if in answer to the unspoken, coaxing ques- 
tion that pair of eyes asked. “You are, now, 
aren’t you!” he added, his own eyes brimming 
with merriment. 

“I get lo,” was the half -timid, half-confident 
answer. 

“Our fine young puzzle/^ said Paul Jones, 
aside. “We’ve got a white elephant on our 
hands or I’m no judge; — a fine young baby 
elephant.” 

But now quite a crowd was collecting about 
the machine and manifesting no little curiosity 
both as to the tourists and the quite remarkable 
fifth member of the party. 

“They called the little chap ‘Jack the Giant 
Killer.’ That’s odd, ain’t it!” one young man 
was heard to say. 

“He don’t seem to belong to them. Looks 


58 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

like a case of runaway,’’ another fellow com- 
mented. 

While probably not averse to attracting 
notice — few young fellows are, if the truth he 
known — The Auto Boys had no wish to discuss 
their affairs before strangers, and Phil went 
to work to get the suit cases detached from the 
car without further delay. The others joined 
him and with, “Now Jack, you keep right beside 
me,” to their new friend. Way soon piloted the 
party into the hotel. 

Two large rooms, each containing a double 
bed, were assigned the travelers. Although he 
was still very much in doubt as to what was to 
be done with Bright Eyes, Phil asked that a cot 
for their fifth member be placed in the apart- 
ment which he and Billy were to occupy. In the 
latter room, also, a council of war — Billy called 
it a “pow-wow” — was held as soon as the young 
man who showed the guests their quarters left 
them. 

Of course the subject of the discussion was 
the strange boy. Likewise was he the object of 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


69 


such a volley of questions as to why he was 
where he was, and why he was not where he 
wasn ^t but should have been, that, very natural- 
ly, he presently became too confused to murmur 
even his favorite, ‘‘I get lo/^ 

‘‘In mercy’s name, be quiet a minute, you fel- 
lows !” exclaimed Captain Phil, at last. “Let’s 
see if we can’t arrive at something, if we talk 
one at a time.” 

Then he began at the beginning to question 
the mysterious little stranger. Eesults worth 
while came very slowly. Asked his name, the 
youngster answered, “I haven’t any.” To the 
question, where he lived, he replied in the same 
unsatisfactory way. 

“Where are you going? Where were you 
going when you saw our car at the roadside?” 
Phil inquired. 

“Ever so far,” was the answer; and except 
that he slept on the ground in a cornfield the 
preceding night ; had obtained his breakfast 
that morning in a farmhouse kitchen while the 
mistress thereof was feeding her chickens, and 


60 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


that he was bent on remaining in his present 
company indefinitely, very little of consequence 
did the examination disclose. 

There were, however, in the very attractive 
little fellow’s answers to the questions, a certain 
knowing manner and at times a hesitation, as 
if he set a guard upon himself against revealing 
more than he cared to have known. It was 
hard, also, to believe, looking into his intelli- 
gent, open countenance, that the youngster was 
not in every respect a good, average boy and 
in full possession of normal faculties. 

‘‘Well, suppose we refuse to take you in? 
Suppose we have to say we simply can’t do it? 
What will you do then?” asked Phil, after a 
half hour’s questioning. His voice was still 
kindly. Impatient as he had very naturally be- 
come, and worried as he certainly was, his man- 
ner was gentle, though he spoke with unmistak- 
able firmness. ‘ ‘ A¥hat will you do in that case ? ’ ’ 
he repeated. 

“Blame it! Everyling and everybody lat I 
like go again ’t me!” the boy burst out with 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


61 


much more energy than he had yet shown. But 
he spoke so unhappily and with such utter de- 
jection, that Phil, at least, gave way to pity then 
and there. 

Indeed, excepting only Dave, fearful of some 
dire consequence following the association, all 
the chums had for some time been ready to take 
this childish wayfarer in as one of them. 

^‘Well, until we know your real one, we’ll 
just have to call you by most any name,” Way 
responded almost despairingly, ‘‘and so. Jack, 
we ’ll all clean up and have some supper. Then 
we’ll have a good, big sleep in these dandy, cool, 
country beds, right by the open windows, and 
maybe we ’ll all feel better in the morning. How 
does that sound! Hungry, aren’t you. Jack!” 

But the boy only nodded. His head had 
fallen down quite to his shoulder and not until 
now was it noticed that he had become pale to 
the verge of fainting. Billy was first to observe 
this. 

“He’s just about all in, Phil!” exclaimed 
Worth. “We must let him lie down.” 


62 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Dirt and all, the worn-ont boy was led to the 
bed, and there Panl and Billy bathed him while 
Phil hnstled down stairs to fetch some warm 
milk, and Dave repaired to the yard to run the 
car under cover and see that, together with con- 
tents, it was put in good order for the night. 

^‘Lat feel ju’t fine,’^ murmured the boy, as 
he felt the soft wash cloth upon his feverish 
face and hands. 

‘‘Gosh! you needed it,’^ chirped Paul; but at 
a reproachful look from Billy Worth he said, 
very gently: “Don’t want to hurt your feel- 
ings, old man. Gee Whiz ! We would all of us 
stand a bath without getting into the molly- 
coddle class, I reckon 1 ’ ’ 

Awkwardly as the two boys did go about the 
bathing of the younger lad, and no mistake, 
they did it all so kindly that he smiled up at 
them with a sigh of exquisite satisfaction. The 
improvement they wrought in a very few min- 
utes was so noticeable, also, even to their un- 
practiced eyes, that they resolved to make 
thorough work of it. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


68 


you could just stand up long enough to 
get your clothes off and splash around in this 
big wash bowl a little, you’d feel better yet,” 
suggested Billy, paving the way. ‘‘Don’t sup- 
pose there’s any regular bath-room in the 
house.” 

Bright Eyes said neither yes nor no, but 
helped along the operation of removing his 
wretched garments, and stepped into the big 
bowl placed upon the floor, without comment. 

Soon Phil came with a plate of toast and bowl 
of milk just slightly warmed. “That’s the 
ticket!” he exclaimed upon seeing what was 
going on. 

He placed the tray upon a little table and 
picked up the boy’s discarded clothes to put 
them aside. Perhaps he handled them a little 
gingerly. They were certainly not in the con- 
dition to be taken up otherwise. Still, he would 
have done anything rather than give offense, 
and he was pained no less than interested by 
the remark that followed the action. 

“Ley ain’t mine. I’ve” — the wayfarer ex- 


64 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


claimed with some vehemence, but checked him- 
self suddenly. 

“Not your clothes, Jack? Whose are they?’’ 
Phil inquired, trying to appear just casually in- 
terested. 

“I get ley are mine, if I haven’t got any 
o’ler,” the youngster smiled, but in a confused 
way. Then he added quickly, “Tee low le rain 
hat got on lat wall paper I” 

It was of no use to ask further questions; 
but the boy’s unguarded expression had cer- 
tainly opened up a fertile field for speculation. 
Also, his obvious effort to attract notice quickly 
to another subject had not escaped his new- 
found friends. However, when he had eaten, 
which he did sitting up in bed, he was left to 
himself, while all the boys went to Paul’s and 
Dave’s room to perform their own ablutions. 
They promised to come back soon and if 
“Jack” felt well enough, to take him down with 
them to supper in the hotel dining-room. 

They were gone from him not more than 
twenty minutes but when they returned he was 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


65 


sleeping soundly. Nothing conld be more 
natural than this, yet it was not natural that 
both windows of the room should be found 
tightly closed and fastened on this warm August 
night. They had been open wide just a little 
while before. 


CHAPTER V 


NINETY MILES TO GO 

The sndden and mysterious addition of a fifth 
member to their pikrty naturally occupied the 
thoughts of the young tourists to a marked ex- 
tent. It kept them busily talking as they sat 
at supper and afterward, as they strolled about 
exploring the little town. Now and again some 
reference to the empty house toward which they 
were journeying would take their conversation 
to that and similar subjects for a time, for this 
was an important topic, too. 

Another night, they reminded one another, 
would find them quartered in that dwelling 
which for years had stood untenanted; and it 
would probably be not far from the truth to 
say, that, as the time of their taking possession 
drew near, they really relished the thought 
much less than they pretended. 

66 


TEE AUTO B0Y8’ OUTING 


67 


‘^Kind of a crazy place for an outing any- 
how,’’ MacLester half growled. ^‘And now 
we’ve got a little tramp on our hands who’s 
either weak in his head or something else, and 
you can pretty near count on it that this whole 
vacation will be more or less foolish all 
around. ’ ’ 

Though David had some reason for his pes- 
simistic prediction, it will be admitted, his 
words were given scant heed by his companions. 

“If there’s a hoodoo on this trip anywhere, 
Jones’ old hammock is responsible for it,” 
laughed Billy Worth. “But,” he added, and 
his manner gave room to suspect that he was 
talking to preserve his own courage— “But,” 
said he, “I guess the old place and the neigh- 
borhood, too, will know that there’s someone 
living there, for a while, at least, before we tear 
up to start back.” 

It was a better guess — much better — than 
young Mr. Worth supposed. 

That the waif of the road who had attached 
himself to the party, whether for good or for 


68 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

ill, must be taken along to the journey’s end, 
seemed highly probable. The only other course 
was to turn the little chap over to the town or 
county authorities, to which neither Phil nor 
Billy would consent. 

All hoped, however, that with the coming of 
morning the youngster would feel more free, 
or better able to reveal his identity. No mat- 
ter how willingly he should go with them, no 
matter, indeed, how anxious he might be that 
he should be taken, was there not a strong like- 
lihood that sooner or later his friends or rela- 
tives would appear and, quite possibly, cause 
trouble? This question was too serious not to 
be considered. 

‘‘We will throw away those horrible clothes 
of his and give him one of Paul’s suits, or buy 
him something here in Sunfield, in the morn- 
ing,” said Phil Way, with determination. “We 
will take better care of him than he has been 
accustomed to, for some time past, anyway, and 
that’s not saying a whole lot either. Then 
when someone claims him, or we find out where 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 69 

lie belongs, what sort of cattle would they be if 
his folks were anything but glad? Poor little 
duffer, I — ’’ 

‘‘That^s all right, Billy broke in, ^^but just 
as I said before,’’ referring to an earlier dis- 
cussion, ‘‘the boy’s afraid of somebody or some- 
thing and that’s why he shut those windows 
down after we left him. If we take him up we 
take up his fight, whatever it is, with him; and 
his own folks, if he’s just a runaway, would 
have the law on their side. There are a good 
many things to be considered.” 

Volumes of talk could not have settled the 
subject. Time must be allowed to bring its own 
developments, and the Auto Boys retraced their 
steps to the hotel and prepared to go to bed. 
Their new friend was found still sleeping, — a 
disappointment, as some supper more substan- 
tial than toast and milk had been kept warm in 
the kitchen down stairs, at their suggestion. 
But, acting on the theory that sleep and rest 
are sometimes more beneficial than food, Paul 
carried the word below that the meal might be 


70 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

put away, and in a little while the chums bade 
one another good-night. 

‘‘Young Mystery better be left where he is, 
I s’pose. I’ll crawl in beside him and you take 
the cot, if you don’t mind. Bill,” suggested Phil. 
He had re-opened the windows wide, and the 
two were undressing by the faint rays shining 
in from a street lamp. 

“I ‘get lo,’ ” said Billy with a subdued 
chuckle over his imitation of Little Mystery’s 
style of speech. “He’s sure taken a fancy to 
you, Phil, as you have to him.” 

Way made no response but crawled gently 
over the childish figure to sleep at the ‘‘back” 
rather than disturb the youngster by moving 
him. As he did so Master Mystery awakened 
suddenly and, as if much frightened, rose up. 
He became calm at once when Phil spoke, how- 
ever, and denied that he had been scared. 

“I wit lote window wat down,” said the boy 
in a serious tone. 

Phil had by this time stretched himself com- 
fortably at the back side of the bed. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


71 


‘‘Oh, they should be up, son,’’ he answered. 
“It’s such a warm night. You are afraid of 
something, aren’t you, Jack?” 

“Didn’t I tleep in a cornfield lat night? Wat 
lat bein’ afraid?” came the response in tones 
of denial. 

“No, that wasn’t being afraid, sure. But 
maybe you were hiding there. Jack?” 

To this there came no reply. Still, the 
strange young wayfarer continued so plainly 
nervous regarding the open windows that Way 
said presently: “Maybe you’d like to sleep 
behind, Jack. Maybe you don’t like the night 
air. Shall I sleep in front?” 

“I get lo,” was the quite pleased answer to 
this question so tactfully framed, and the tall 
boy and the little fellow exchanged places, then 
both were still. 

Across the commons, just beyond the rural 
hostelry, came the sounds of the crickets. 
From the marsh which bordered the field the 
frogs were faintly heard. Sunfield was asleep. 

Phil lay for a long time thinking — wondering 


72 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


deeply what chain of circumstances had brought 
him so entirely unexpected a bed-fellow. He 
thought much, too, of his own and his compan- 
ions’ duty in the matter of the extraordinary 
acquaintanceship that had come to them. Then 
he pondered on what he would like to do if he 
had only his own wishes to consider. 

From these reflections there grew a sleepy 
and still more sleepy notion that the Young 
American Contract Company might adopt 
Bright Eyes and among its members make a 
home for him. He could go to school with them 
and work and play with them and — and it all 
wound up in Phil falling into sound sleep in the 
midst of a dream that the strange hoy was keep- 
ing house, quite by himself, in the Eetreat — the 
hillside cave in Gleason’s Eavine. 

To those who have followed the adventures 
of the Auto Boys from the beginning, it will not 
be necessary to explain that the Young Amer- 
ican Contract Company was the boys’ own or- 
ganization ; that the Eetreat was the rendezvous 
near which had been concealed the money so 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


73 


mysteriously stolen in the very early part of the 
summer. 

For those not familiar with the first story 
of this series, it is essential to state that, under 
the name of the Young American Contract Com- 
pany, the four hoys had earned and saved 
money sufficient to make a first payment on an 
automobile. Their work included a newspaper 
route, now left in the hands of a reliable sub- 
stitute, and a great variety of other more or 
less regular tasks, such as mowing lawns, for 
instance, all work being undertaken on a very 
business-like contract basis. Of course, for 
their steady customers it had been necessary to 
provide other help during the weeks of the out- 
ing, and all of these arrangements had been 
given excellent care. 

Contracts thus necessarily sub-let, it was true, 
would not be at all profitable; but the period 
was only for a few weeks at most, and the one 
thousand dollars obtained for them by Dan Dil- 
worth left plenty of ready cash on hand after 
every dollar due on the auto was paid. 


74 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


As in practically all their undertakings, the 
boys themselves paid all the expenses of their 
vacation. For a long time they had been ac- 
customed to do this, not from necessity, for all 
had good homes, but because they had learned 
the greater pleasure and satisfaction which 
comes with the earning of one’s own money. 
Nor would they have given up their comparative 
independence for a great deal. 

As a leading physician of Lannington, Dr. 
Way was prosperous. He would willingly 
have given his son money to spend, but he en- 
couraged the latter’s success in earning it, in- 
stead, because in no other manner could lessons 
in the value of money and in business methods 
be so well obtained. 

Mr. Worth, a manufacturer, undoubtedly en- 
tertained similar views with regard to Mr. Wil- 
liam Worth, Jr. Dave MacLester’s father was 
of the very strict kind who believes that the 
boys have no need of more than the price of ad- 
mission tickets on circus day, and something 
for fireworks on the Fourth ; but so long as 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


75 


David earned his own money, and was in good 
company, he asked few questions. 

Poor Paul was much less favorably situated. 
An orphan from childhood, his home had long 
been with a sister, much older than himself, and 
her husband, John Wilby. Both were kind to 
the lad but their income was not large and most 
of it must go toward the home for which they 
were paying. 

So, while Paul had plenty to eat and clothes 
to wear and was kept in school, they felt their 
duty to him well done, as indeed it was. How 
fortunate for the active young fellow, then, that 
he had opportunities of earning something for 
himself ! 

Now and again, in serious moments, he 
thought over his situation and was glad that 
he was not absolutely dependent. If two seri- 
ous thoughts on the same subject came in suc- 
cession, as happened at rare intervals, the sec- 
ond was one of pride that, even at his age, he 
could provide for much of his own clothing and 
his other general needs. He was glad because 


76 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

this relieved John Wilby of the expense, and 
he liked his brother-in-law extremely well. 

Sometimes his day dreams, taking shape from 
passing serious thoughts such as have been men- 
tioned, grew into great castles in the air. In 
them he saw himself grown to manhood and 
rapidly acquiring wealth. He pictured the time 
when he might say to John Wilby, — quite pat- 
ronizingly, it may be imagined — ‘‘There! that 
matter of your having taken care of me when I 
was a boy, John. Kerens a thousand dollars to 
pay you back. If it isnT enough just let me 
know. You and my sister, Emma, gave me a 
home when I had none and I wonT forget it. 
Here are five hundred dollars for her and 
there’s more where this came from.” 

Oh, there were times, though, when the or- 
phan’s innermost thoughts would have moved 
the sternest heart, had they been known. Eough 
and ready, harum-scarum, lively young fellow 
that he was, one can but smile to contemplate 
the lofty place he gave himself — as what boy 
does not? — in his castles of the future ; but often 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


77 


back of it all was the feeling of dependence, and 
his sense of loss and loneliness. 

Then it chiefly was that he wonld come at last 
to fancying himself grown np — grown np and 
wealthy and making most generous return for 
honest John Wilby’s goodness. And with such 
hopeful visions his heart would grow light 
again and no one would have guessed that he 
ever felt the pain of wanting a mother’s love 
and sympathy, or a father’s encouragement, or 
realized that he was deprived of them — an or- 
phan. 

But all the troubled or sorrowful thoughts 
that came to Paul at times were for the present 
certainly banished. He lay with bare legs drawn 
up to his body while wrapped tightly round him 
and seeming to have tied itself into several 
knots, after the extraordinary manner of such 
things, was a sheet, — his only covering. Soundly 
he slept, and Dave MacLester, tied up, appar- 
ently, in a light coverlid in an exactly similar 
manner, was in the bed beside him. 

Another day had dawned in Sunfield. Broad 


78 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

daylight streamed in at the window of the little 
hotel and the picture described is what Billy 
Worth beheld when he opened the unlocked door 
of the room his two friends occupied. 

Quietly Billy stepped to the bed. He picked 
up a pillow, fallen to the floor, and with firm 
grasp prepared to use it. 

‘‘Say! Don’t sleep all day!” he shouted, and 
without further warning brought the pillow 
down with a muffled thud, hard upon the head 
of Paul first, then Dave. 

In infinitely less time than it takes to tell it 
the pillow from under Dave’s head went flying 
heavily full into Worth’s face and MacLester 
himself followed his own well directed aim from 
the bed. 

“You better dig!” he cried and caught the 
feathery weapon hurled back at him on his arm. 

“Thunder! is he up already!” ejaculated 
Jones, as Billy, with a leap and dive escaped 
through the door, and instantly he proceeded 
to get into his own clothes with a degree of 
alacrity and speed attainable, on such occasions, 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


79 


by but one member of the human family — a 
boy. 

Talk of things scientific! If false motions 
and imperfect calculations could be eliminated 
from all things, absolutely, as they are from a 
boy’s getting into his every-day clothes when he 
has something important — to himself — in view, 
the saving of energy would be impossible of 
estimate. 

Phil Way had been up for some time. With- 
out so much as ^‘by your leave,” — ’twould have 
been quite superfluous — he had appropriated a 
shirt and pants from Paul’s suit case and helped 
the little stranger into them. The garments 
were not so very ill-fitting either. Jones was 
under size for his age, and the clothing thus 
provided was from his last summer’s suit and 
now would have been a trifle small for him. 

All in all, then. Bright Eyes made a decidedly 
improved appearance when the boys were ready 
for breakfast and he went down stairs with 
the others, keeping close, however, to Mr. Philip 
Way. He smiled across the table in a most de- 


80 TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

lightfully chummy and confidential manner at 
Billy, Dave and Paul and up into the eyes of 
Phil, beside him. 

If he had not been a favorite already he must 
soon have become one with that pleasing man- 
ner of his, and if any of the boys had had the 
remotest thought of leaving him behind, it van- 
ished instantly when, looking from one to an- 
other joyously, he said: 

‘‘Lay, now. I link lit it pretty fine I Le auto 
will run pretty good today.’’ 

And the odd little lost boy, — stolen boy — run- 
away boy — ^homeless, wandering boy — what 
should he be called? — was right in both his ob- 
servations. 

The breakfast was all that could be desired. 
The morning was glorious, and ninety miles of 
speed and fun in a reliable motor car stretched 
out ahead — stretched out to night and to that 
lonely and empty house, very soon to be neither 
one nor the other for a time, at least. 


CHAPTER VI 


A BAD SPILL AND THE RESULT 

‘^Jack and I will gather up the traps, up- 
stairs, while you fellows get the car around to 
the door and ready to start, said Phil Way, 
as breakfast was finished. His little plan thus 
to make an opportunity to talk alone with the 
strange hoy was quite apparent and Billy, Paul 
and Dave trooped out through the hotel office. 

‘Wou aren’t goin’ to lay I can’t go?” asked 
Bright Eyes with deep concern, when, having 
reached their room, Phil said to him; Jack, we 
just don’t know what we are going to do about 
you.” 

He did not answer the hoy’s question at once, 
but went on; ‘‘Why won’t you tell us something 
about yourself, Jack? We’d be glad to take you 
if we knew it was really all right for us to do it ; 
but we can’t decide that until you tell about 
yourself. So here’s your chance, Jack, while 

81 


82 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


you and I are alone. You know us all now, and 
you just let me hear who you are and why you 
aren’t at home, if you have one, and you know 
I’ll take care of you. Jack, and do what’s best 
for you and all of us.” 

Phil’s tone was kind and certainly his whole 
manner invited confidence. Did Bright Eyes 
find it hard to resist his entreaty? Was it be- 
cause he was tempted, yet feared to make the 
revelation asked of him, that he answered noth- 
ing? Once he opened his lips as if to speak, 
then turned suddenly, walked to the window, 
and looked out. But he uttered not a word. 

‘^Why, we don’t know even your name, you 
know. How can we be the good friends we 
want to be when you act this way. Jack? ’ ’ Again 
Phil spoke gently, pleadingly. 

There came no answer but for an instant a 
tear glistened in each of those fine eyes. Then 
suddenly the little chap rushed to the bed and 
buried his face in a pillow. He did not break 
into sobs — apparently did not cry, though only 
his greatest etforts prevented it. The friendly 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


83 


pillow did conceal liis tears thongli, until he had 
somewhat gained a mastery of his emotions. 
Then he arose and hastily began to unbutton 
his shirtwaist — Paul Jones’ shirtwaist. 

‘^Here now, what’s this!” cried Phil. 
‘‘What’s the matter Jack, old man!” and he 
took the lad gently by the arm. 

“I ju’t can’t tell what you want me to. I 
can’t go in le auto. I can’t wear lete clo’t’ len. 
I’m ju’t miterahle at I can be!” The answer 
came quick and fast and another strong effort 
was necessary on the youngster’s part to keep 
hack a sob. And although he also kept the tears 
from his eyes, by the same visible determina- 
tion, they were very thick and unhappy in his 
voice. 

Phil Way’s preconceived determination that 
he would be kind but very firm with the little 
chap melted from his mind. 

“Hold on now. Jack,” he said quickly, stay- 
ing the hand which was already slipping out of 
the shirtwaist sleeve, “just you wait a second. 
Answer me this; Do you live near the place 


84 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


where we found yon yesterday? If yon have 
rnn away from home, is it hecanse the antomo- 
bile attracted yon? Yon can tell me that mnch, 
Jack.’’ 

^‘Yon needn’t be afraid of anyling like lat,” 
the little fellow answered, qnickly divining that 
Phil’s fear was that the Anto Boys wonld be 
blamed for enticing him away with them. ‘‘Lere 
aren’t nobdy in le world to ever lay anyling to 
yon, nnlet it are — it are — ” He hesitated, then 
stopped and again looked searchingly down the 
street throngh the open window. ‘‘Unlet it 
are — ” again he came to a fnll stop. 

In vain Phil waited for him to continne, then 
asked him to go on. It was no nse. For, when 
he nrged, there came that flash of sndden deter- 
mination in the two big eyes and again those 
qnick little hands began to remove the clothes 
which were another ’s. 

‘‘All right. Jack, never mind; yon ’ll have 
more confidence in ns soon, I think,” said Way 
qnietly ; bnt in his heart there came the resolnte 
intention of finding ont the mystery of this most 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


85 


strange young specimen of attractiveness and 
perversity if it took the rest of the summer. He 
could only believe and hope it would be for the 
waif’s own good. He did not know. No one 
knew. 

wouldn’t have let him bluff me that way,” 
was Paul Jones’ comment when, aside, Phil told 
the result of the talk in the room upstairs. 
^ ^You’re too easy by a big lot. But bring him 
along, sure! Fd like to keep him.” 

Dave MacLester darkly hinted that there 
would come a day of sorrow and regret for it, 
yet voted also to take care of the young way- 
farer pending further developments. 

Billy, like Paul, derided Phil’s efforts to gain 
information from the boy, on the ground that he 
was much too tender-hearted; but, also like 
Jones, he was anxious to take the waif with 
them. Indeed he would have been genuinely 
sorry just at this time had anything arisen to 
prevent their doing so. Secretly he was of the 
opinion that when he found just the right oppor- 
tunity he would, by his superior methods of 


86 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

questioning, be able to get some light on the 
subject of the youngster’s identity. 

One sensible precaution the boys did take was 
to leave their future address at the hotel office, 
for use in case inquiry should be made. With- 
out revealing the whole story they indicated 
to the proprietor the possibility that friends 
might be asking about the fifth member of their 
party — a little fellow of whom they were taking 
care for a while. 

All in all, so much time was consumed in the 
discussion of the disposition of Bright Eyes, 
and the arrangements it would be necessary to 
make with regard to him that that young gen- 
tleman himself, who for twenty minutes had 
been waiting in the car, grew exceedingly im- 
patient. Eepeatedly he looked far down the 
road traversed the day before, as the machine 
stood in readiness. 

‘‘Better hurry up! I link it look like rain!” 
he called at last. But as the sky was clear, the 
sun bright and no sign of rain existed, the chums 
only laughed. “Don’t you ever set out to be a 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


87 


weather prophet, Little Mystery; the govern- 
ment would want you sure,’’ said Paul, as they 
climbed aboard. 

Dave MacLester’s steady hand gripped the 
steering wheel. Away over the dusty, country 
road the Thirty flew. Where the course per- 
mitted, Dave put on speed and words were pos- 
sible only by almost shouting. WTiere the way 
was rough, Billy, Paul and Bright Eyes had all 
they could do to maintain their seats in the 
tonneau, even with the car traveling moderately. 
Phil was busily watching a road map to help 
MacLester keep the right course, and so few 
words were spoken. 

But there are times when conversation is in 
no wise essential to the finest kind of compan- 
ionship. It is not always necessary to hear, or 
even see, good friends to feel and enjoy their 
presence and company. And certain it is that 
every one of the five occupants of that automo- 
bile, chugging so merrily through the August 
morning, was having a truly delightful time and 
finding pleasure in every foot of the way. 


88 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

Down a long slope the anto zipped at a lively 
clip. Time was, when they were less familiar 
with the car, that all four owners would have 
been watching the road closely. Now that de- 
tail was left entirely to him who occupied the 
driver’s seat. 

No doubt Dave was watching the road all 
right and no doubt he would have driven down 
that slope, across the little bridge at the bot- 
tom, and up the grade beyond a hundred times 
again without accident ; but somewhere, in this 
instance, he miscalculated. A front tire struck 
sidewise on a large stone, the machine swerved 
sharply and before MacLester could regain con- 
trol, skidded half way around and plunged over 
a low embankment into a dense growth of low 
bushes and weeds. 

Phil Way was pitched head foremost into the 
brush-grown corner of a rail fence. Paul Jones 
just dropped over the tonneau door as if he 
had been lifted up, then allowed to fall. The 
strange boy and Billy hit hard against each 
other, and the forward seats. 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


89 


It was the luckiest happening imaginable that 
no one was seriously hurt, Their only injury 
worth mentioning came to Dave, who was 
thrown violently against the steering wheel and 
to catch his breath again needed a good five 
minutes, 

‘ ‘ It my note bleedin asked Master Mystery 
of Billy, holding one hand on to that member 
of his features, but with a beaming smile and 
dancing eyes, despite the shock. His nose was 
bleeding, and profusely, though little he seemed 
to mind it. 

In fact, the exceedingly happy disposition of 
the waif under all sorts of circumstances at- 
tracted the notice and comment of his older 
friends many, many times in the days following, 
as it did now. Only occasionally would he lose 
himself in what seemed extremely serious 
thoughts. At such times he would sit for a half 
hour or more, his sober reflections plainly in- 
dicated upon his bright, pleasing face. And 
only then was there any reason to believe that 
Jn his past, reference to which he ever avoided, 


90 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


there had been either trouble or great misfor- 
tune. 

‘ ^ Takes more ^n a plunge down a bank to phase 
you, don’t it, Pete!” said Paul Jones, rubbing 
his knee and looking about quite dejectedly. 
‘‘How we’re ever going to get out of here, I 
don’t see.” 

“Have to go and hire a team and get held 
up for about five or ten dollars,” growled Billy, 
studying the almost perpendicular embankment. 

MacLester crawled down from his seat, where 
he had been industriously getting his respira- 
tory organs into working order again, and 
clambered up to the roadway. “Here’s the 
stone I hit ! ” he called, his voice quite wheezy. 
“You don’t need say a word! I surely ought 
to have a tin medal for this ! ’ ’ 

But it was quite characteristic of the work- 
ing principles of the Auto Boys toward one 
another that no one thought of putting blame 
for the accident upon the driver — no one save 
Dave himself. 

“We’ve got a terrific battle on hand,” that 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


91 


young gentleman continued, and again he as- 
sured everybody present that he ought to re- 
ceive a tin badge — a ‘ ^ real nice, shiny tin badge 
and a string to hang it by. ’ ’ 

^ ‘ Oh, say, fellows ! this is not going to be so 
bad!’’ cried Phil Way, with sudden enthusiasm. 
He had made a brief inspection of the car, which 
was found to be unharmed, then had taken a 
good look at the lay of the land. 

‘‘We have only to open this rail fence, run 
through and across the brook, open the fence on 
the other side, and run onto the road again. 
The bank slopes real gradually, across the 
bridge.” 

Good for Captain Phil ! He had simply used 
his head again, but the result was to dispel at 
once every cloud on the horizon and make what 
Dave had termed a “terrific battle” only a mild 
skirmish at most. 

“Here goes, then,” continued Way, when the 
others, grasping at once his simple plan, gave 
prompt assent. “Here goes!” and he stepped 
toward the fence. On the ground lay the box 


92 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


with all that excess of soap, thrown from its 
place in front by the car’s sudden plunge. He 
gathered it up together with its contents which 
now included, also, the discarded clothes of the 
mysterious boy. They had been chucked into 
this receptacle for want of any opportunity to 
throw them away before leaving the hotel. 

As Phil gathered up the worn and dirty gar- 
ments — hastily deciding they must be taken 
along lest some person, as yet unknown, should 
some time demand them — a tooth brush fell 
from a trousers pocket. He picked the brush 
up and for want of a better place put it in his 
coat. 

He could not but wonder that an article so in- 
dicative of refinement and cleanliness should 
have fallen from such a source. Little he 
thought then, as he came to know afterward, 
that the mere incident of this brush being thus 
brought to his notice was of more consequence 
in the history of the outing than was the quite 
considerable accident to the car. 

The plunge over the bank was but the hap- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


93 


pening of an hour, done with at the close of the 
day, at most. The simple little fact of the hrnsh 
being fonnd, as one of the results of the mishap, 
became in time the one great thing which made 
the car’s plunge something to be remembered. 

And just so is it often found in other matters. 
That to which we attach for a while the utmost 
importance pales and fades into insignificance. 
At the same time something which seems trivial, 
at the moment, assumes in later days inesti- 
mable proportions. 

All in good time, Phil worked out these 
thoughts in his own mind. He was old beyond 
his years in making such studies. If ultimately 
he found a suggestion of value in the reflections 
here reported, it was, perhaps, that not events 
so much as their consequences are important; 
that not only what one shall do but always even 
the distant consequences, as well, should have 
advance consideration. 

An opening was quickly made in the tumble- 
down rail fence and the Thirty glided through. 
‘^And she went as nicely,” declared Billy 


94 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

Worth, if her behavior had never been so 
doTVTiright unladylike. ’ ’ 

While Bright Eyes and Paul laid np the rails 
in the one place, Worth and Way opened the 
fence across the brook, and Dave drove onto 
the road again. It was ^nst about thirty minutes 
from the time of the car’s plunge until the party 
was once more making good time forward. 

Noon found the tourists pleasantly encamped 
where a large stream skirted the road, with only 
a fringe of grass and trees between. A jolly 
repast they made of it. For the tenth time, 
at least, an effort was made to have Little 
Mystery tell whether he had not himself taken 
the license tag from the car the day before. 

Almost in desperation, he said, after many 
evasions: ‘‘If you won’t lend me away, and 
won’t be crott I will tell you about lat tag, but 
I ju’t can’t tell anyling elt, lo lere!” 

Of course the little chap was assured that he 
would not be sent away and that no one would 
be cross. Then he said that, when he first came 
up to the car, it was his intention to take some- 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


95 


thing, run back a little way, and, returning, pre- 
tend he had found the article, and so win favor. 
After obtaining the license tag and running 
away he was for a time afraid to return. In- 
deed, he was deeply impressed by the thought 
that he had committed a theft. And now, when 
he owned up to it, he looked from one to another 
of the boys in great embarrassment. Yet there 
shone at the same time in those luminous eyes 
a pleading, ‘‘now-you-don’t-care-do-your’ look 
that was entirely captivating. 

‘‘That’s just the way we thought you did it. 
Jack,” spoke Phil, for all, “but still you see we 
don ’t know why you wanted to do it — where you 
came from, or even your name. Better have the 
whole thing otf your mind at once. Jack.” 

“I’ve been linking about lat very ling,” said 
the boy slowly and soberly; but that was all he 
did say. 

When Phil prompted him again he used his 
own perfectly obvious but pleasing little way 
of seeking to lead the conversation into new 
channels, by observing naively: “Lere are prob- 


06 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


ably ever so many fit in lat creek, don’t yon 
link?” 

And now we come to the more principal scenes 
of this narrative — scenes of incidents more 
strange and exciting than often fall to any one 
group of boys within a period of a few weeks. 
For the day is nearly over and the next house 
down the road — that weather-beaten, empty 
house, where the old pines rear their heads high 
above the rank growth of the neglected door- 
yard, — that is the house where Grandfather 
Beaman used to live. 


CHAPTER Vn 


AT THE OLD FARM HOUSE 

The sun was going down in a bank of clouds, 
making noticeably sombre the shadows about the 
old house, as the Auto Boys brought their car 
to a halt before it. 

‘‘Doesn’t look so bad, I guess?” queried Billy 
Worth cheerfully, but scanning the vacant win- 
dows and weed-grown surroundings a little 
dubiously, too. 

“Finer than silk;” cried Phil, enthusing as 
he sighted apples in the orchard, and got a 
glimpse of the really fine river just beyond the 
trees. ‘ ‘ This is all right ! ^ ^ 

“Glad we got here before dark, just the 
same, ’ ’ observed Dave MacLester grimly. 

Master Bright Eyes had clambered from the 
tonneau and with Paul was putting down the 
old-fashioned bars across the road, leading into 
the yard at the right of the dwelling. Directly 

97 


98 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


the car was driven in, and as close as practic- 
able to the side porch of the honse, preparatory 
to unloading. 

Jones was busy with his keys, also, and in 
another two minutes the empty rooms echoed 
more footsteps than had fallen within their pre- 
cincts for many a day — at least so far as anyone 
knew. 

While the unpleasant, heavy air, found always 
in places long closed, was there, of course, and 
the wind and rain had entered at one or two 
shattered windows, leaving their traces dark 
upon the floors and walls, the old dwelling was 
still in quite habitable condition. 

‘‘A good blaze in the fireplace is what we 
want, though,” declared Phil. ‘^No matter if it 
is warm, a fire will clear out the queer smell and 
draw good, fresh air in.” So he went in search 
of kindling while the others were unloading and 
carrying in the gasoline stove, the bedding and 
great quantities of baggage of all descriptions, 
not forgetting Paul Jones’ hammock. 

With four pairs of hands to help, the work 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINQ 


99 


was soon done. Phil was ready to start his fire 
now, also, after a visit to the attic and the rooms 
on the second floor to make sure the chimney 
was sonnd and safe ; hnt at this juncture came a 
suggestion from Billy that a brief inspection of 
the surroundings he made before the twilight 
grew deeper. It seemed a wise idea and the 
four began at once. 

The boys ’ observations may be summed up in 
rather less time than they occupied in making 
them. The house was a fairly large, old-fash- 
ioned structure with fan-lights over the front 
door and beneath the gables at each side of the 
main structure. This part consisted of first and 
second floors only, and if there was an attic it 
was not finished or accessible. A one story and 
attic wing projected from the rear of the main 
building, ending in a large open shed for wood, 
garden tools and the like. This with the kitchen 
and one other room, which evidently had been 
used for storage purposes, made up the first 
floor of the wing section. 

Two doors opened upon the side porch. One 


100 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


led into the kitchen in the wing; the other into 
what had been both the dining-room and sitting- 
room, in the main building. In this apartment 
was the fireplace Phil planned to nse. 

A parlor and two other smaller apartments, — 
bedrooms at one time, no doubt — opened oft the 
sitting-room. There was also a door into a Imll 
extending through to the front of the house, 
another into the kitchen in the back, another 
to the cellar stairway, yet another which 
opened upon a large, dark closet. It was at the 
end of this little room that there rose a very 
steep flight of stairs to the low attic over the 
kitchen. 

The stairway to the second floor of the main 
section was in the narrow hall and directly be- 
fore the large front door. Upstairs were two 
small bed-rooms quite by themselves and two 
other rooms thrown together with only a wide 
arch between. 

So much for the interior. Exterior observa- 
tions were, in substance, that the dwelling stood 
on the west side of the road and about one hun- 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


101 


dred feet back therefrom. No doubt the house 
had been painted at one time, but only in the 
lighter gray beneath the eaves and over the 
doors, in contrast with the weather-beaten wood 
color of the building in general, did any 
evidence of the fact remain. 

Outside blinds or shutters, so frequently seen 
on the older country dwellings of the middle 
west, had never been used here ; if so, they were 
long since gone. The windows, bare and cheer- 
less, had, somehow, an almost ghostly appear- 
ance. The small panes were for the most part 
whole, but scarcely was there a window but con- 
tained one or more shattered ones, and these 
heightened that melancholy, half -ghostly effect 
just mentioned. 

But perhaps the saddest part of the whole 
picture were the tall weeds, burdock particu- 
larly, which had taken possession of the beds 
where the peonies used to grow, fast crowding 
them out. The place for the hollyhocks, also, 
was now nearly submerged by the ugly, ranker 
growth. 


102 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Even along the picket fence, fast tumbling to 
decay, before the house, the tiger lilies were 
overgrown by clumps of young locusts. The 
rose bushes and lilacs that long ago must have 
delighted the passerby were now so straggling 
and forsaken as to suggest only wretchedness 
and neglect. 

Still there were the tall old pines, a couple of 
large maples and some locust trees that gave the 
abandoned place a picturesque and interesting 
look. They stood strong and unchangeable. 
Perhaps they kept guard over the days when 
children built playhouses and made mud pies be- 
neath their whispering boughs — when good old 
Grandfather Beaman himself nodded and fell 
asleep in his armchair in their grateful shade, 
all the pleasant Sunday afternoons of summer. 

Now, to read all this may give quite a false 
impression. Everything that’s here set down 
the Auto Boys saw; but perhaps they were not 
so deeply impressed by the melancholy of the 
surroundings as older persons would have been . 
True it is that they felt the least bit lonely, and 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


103 


when a big farm wagon rattled by, they were 
glad. It helped remind them that there were 
people in plenty living all about — up the road 
and down the road, and in Middle Eun village, 
only two miles away. 

From the front yard the lads picked their way 
along the south side of the house — the drive in 
from the wagon road was at the north — and 
inspected the back yard. Here were grape vines 
and various fruit trees including pears, just 
nicely ripe. But here, also', the burdock, smart- 
weed, ragweed and rank, coarse grass held full 
sway. 

Just over another swaying, dilapidated picket 
fence was the garden. Barren and empty now, 
except for more weeds and a thick growth of 
blackberry bushes along the north side, it 
seemed the most forsaken spot of all until Billy 
made the discovery that the blackberry bushes 
bore fruit and plenty of it. ISleedless to say this 
announcement was received with hearty favor. 

The fence at the foot of the garden had been 
of rails but some strong wind, or it may have 


104 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


been strong hands, had torn it quite down. The 
rails still lay in the deep grass but scarcely one 
in its original position. It was a fine chance 
they offered for stubbed toes. Bright Eyes, 
minus shoes and stockings, made this discovery 
in a really painful way, as the explorers pushed 
their investigations to the old orchard beyond. 

Ah! here was the place! Here, under the 
trees, the chance for Paul Jones’ hammock! 
Here the spot for fishing and swimming, or just 
dreams and idleness ! 

For the river, clear and inviting, rippled upon 
its beach of sand, almost directly under a tree 
of ripe, red astrakhans. 

‘‘This is all hunky-dory!” Phil exclaimed 
vehemently, and slapped Dave MacLester re- 
soundingly on the back in emphasis. 

In general the others agreed with him. There 
was still much to see and many places to in- 
spect — among them the old barn, a shed or two 
and a partially dismantled shop of some kind ; 
but now the darkness was gathering fast and 
there was much to do inside to be in readiness 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


105 


for the night. An honr or two, at most, in the 
morning would probably complete the inspec- 
tion. 

There would not be much ground to traverse. 
The dooryard, the garden, the old orchard and 
the buildings, — nothing else was left belonging 
to the place. A cornfield — the property of some 
neighbor, bordered the dooryard on the south, 
extending clear to the river, the western boun- 
dary of both. On the north, even close up to 
Grandfather Beaman’s barn, was a pasture lot 
where other people’s sheep and cattle were 
grazing now. Some cows at this very moment 
were lying beneath the clump of old cherry 
trees, just over the fence from the drive. 

‘‘You see,” said Paul, as all turned toward 
the house, “it was the land to the south of the 
house, where that corn is, that everybody sup- 
posed belonged to my grandfather — about 
eighty acres of it. In the first place he owned 
all the ground north of the barn, and between 
the road and the river, clear to where the road 
crosses at the bridge beyond here. There were 


106 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


some low, bad places, that were no account, I 
suppose, so he sold it. But say! I’m simply 
starved to death, that’s what I am!” he broke 
off suddenly. ‘‘Let’s hustle up some kind of 
banquet and I’ll tell you all about this old 
ranch. ’ ’ 

The hasty unloading of the auto had resulted 
in the piling of bedding, provisions and supplies 
in general in the utmost confusion upon the 
porch and in the sitting-room. To put all these 
things in some sort of temporary order, Paul 
and Bright Eyes set at once to work. Dave 
cranked the motor and made ready to run the 
car into the big, empty woodshed which, though 
it was entirely open at front, would furnish very 
fair shelter and be more convenient than the 
barn. 

Billy Worth, as chief cook, occupied himself 
with the little gasoline stove and Phil kindled a 
cheerful blaze in the old fireplace. Later he 
and Dave lighted one of the oil lamps from the 
car and a common, little kitchen lamp which 
had been brought along. These helped still 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINH 


107 


further to dispel the gloom and give the Mg 
sitting-room quite a cheerful appearance. 

A couple of hard-boiled eggs for each, coffee, 
an abundance of bread and butter, dried beef, 
cookies, cheese and an apple pie — the latter had 
been carried safely in its original tin — com- 
prised the supper to which Chef Worth pres- 
ently invited all hands. To say they responded 
promptly would certainly be no exaggeration. 

The meal was served on a small, folding table 
and camp stools provided seats for four. Pro- 
vision in this respect had not been made for a 
fifth member of the party. Although no one 
alluded to this fact. Master Bright Eyes was 
quick to notice it. For the first time he seemed 
to feel unpleasantly conscious of being a self- 
invited guest. Yet, even before this, he had 
been anxious, indeed, to win favor, and make 
amends for any inconvenience he caused. He 
always wanted to help with everything and be 
doing some little thing for some one or another 
of the boys quite constantly. 

To the credit of the four chums it may be 


108 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


said that, having taken the stranger in, they 
shared with him completely and equally in 
everything. And now, at supper, Phil Way in- 
sisted that he would rather sit on the soap box 
than ‘^any wobbly, old camp stool, anyway. 
So he gave the latter to the little chap, then 
drew his own seat close beside. Like a big 
brother, and a very fond one, too, he saw to it 
that Bright Eyes was not for a moment over- 
looked, though for that matter the youngster 
was never at all bashful, nor yet unpleasantly 
forward. 

Well, well! Wliat a supper it was! Billy 
had to make a second big lot of coffee and the 
way the bread and butter disappeared was 
really wonderful, not to say positively myster- 
ious. Then, when no one cared for one thing 
more, Dave and Phil made a regular Twentieth 
Century Limited job of the dish-washing while 
Paul Jones hunted up a means of hanging his 
much-abused hammock and Billy and the young 
stranger opened up the bale of quilts, blankets 
and pillows and made two not exactly downy 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


109 


cots upon the bare floor of the living-room. 

‘‘Say, I’ll sleep in the hammock, Jonesy, and 
divide things up so that Son, here, can bunk 
with Phil,” unselflshly volunteered Dave Mac- 
Lester. 

“So?” came the answer in questioning ac- 
cent, while Paul went on working. He had 
found the old-time handle of the door to the 
kitchen suitable for one end of the hammock, 
and the other he was fastening to a low hook at 
the side of the brick fire-place. “Oh, you will, 
will you ? ” he added, a few seconds later, stand- 
ing back to view his finished work. 

“Don’t you let him, Paul! He’s been roast- 
ing you on that hammock since before we left 
home.” This from Billy, who went on: “If 
you’d rather have one of the bunks, I can make 
out in the hammock all right. ’ ’ 

“Couldn’t think of it, Bill!” was the answer. 
“Awful good of you and all that, but it’s such 
a bloomin’ ‘frowsy,’ ‘measley’ old thing that I 
don’t think anybody better have this hammock 
except P. Jones, Esquire. Unless” — he added. 


110 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


in quite a different and very kindly tone — ‘‘un- 
less young Stick-in-the-Mud, here, would rather 
sleep in it than bunk with Phil.’’ 

But Bright Eyes said he’d “ra’ler have le 
bed.” And now, the question of sleeping ac- 
commodations having been satisfactorily ar- 
ranged, the boys went out to the big flat stone, 
which constituted the floor of the little portico 
entrance at the front door, and there sat down 
in the cool and pleasant breeze of the summer 
evening. 

By mutual consent this had been the time and 
place chosen, during supper, for the remainder 
of Paul’s account of his grandfather’s supposed 
ownership of more land than, at his death, he 
was found to possess ; so J ones presently began 
quite where he had left off. 

“I was saying that Grandfather Beaman 
did own once, but sold, the low land along the 
river north of us. Then he bought, or at any 
rate he was supposed to have bought, a half a 
quarter section, they call it,— eighty acres, any- 
way, — lying next south of him. And that’s 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


111 


where the trouble came in. He died and never 
a thing was found to show that he had bought 
that land. Everybody knew he had farmed it 
for ten years or more and even paid taxes on 
it; but never a sign of deed was there to be 
found and never a word of writing in any of the 
books of the county where you^re expected to 
have all those things put down. 

^^Of course I don’t know anything about it 
at all except what IVe heard others tell, but 
goodness knows IVe heard it all threshed over 
often enough! It happened at about the time 
I was a toddler. My father and mother had 
been dead about a year and sister Emma and I 
had been staying here with grandfather. She 
kept house for him and took care of me. Grand- 
mother Beaman had been dead ever so long. I 
just remember grandfather — just remember 
that I used to live here. 

‘‘Well sir! when no deed for those eighty 
acres was found there was thunder to pay gen- 
erally, for along comes Jonas Tagg, a regular 
‘tight- wad,’ and the fellow that Grandfather 


112 


THE AVTO BOYS^ OUTlHa 


was supposed to have bought the land of. ‘Oh, 
no, indeed,’ sayis he. ‘Nay, nay!’ or words and 
figures to that effect. And he claimed that my 
grandfather had only rented the land and was 
away behind in the rent at that. 

‘ ‘ He grabbed a big field of wheat that Grand- 
father had sowed and that he claimed for back 
rent and — well, that’s all there is to it. With 
just the garden, and that little orchard, nobody 
could make a living here, so far from market 
and everything, and when sister married John 
Wilby they moved to Lannington and the old 
house has been empty ever since. 

“I expect we’ll see the Honorable J. Tagg and 
I’d like to tell him a few things; but I won’t. 
‘Just let it go,’ John Wilby says, and Emma — 
oh, she ’d be wild if I ever said a word. Because 
Grandfather Beaman was peculiar. Never got 
over the wound he got in the war, the same time 
his leg was cut off. Tomorrow we’ll dig around 
and see some of the queer things he did. Any 
old thing he wanted he could make. He made 
his own wooden leg. Honest, he did.” 


CHAPTEE Vin 


THE ANXIETY OF‘ JONAS TAGG 

There is nothing like a day in an automobile 
to make one ready for bed at night, and it was 
not very long after Paul concluded the story of 
Grandfather Beaman’s unfortunate business 
methods that the boys turned in. 

Billy Worth had simply said: ‘‘Well, I’m 
sure going to hunt the hay.” 

Phil Way responded: “That’s the most 
rational thing I’ve heard from you for a long 
time, Billy.” 

Dave MacLester observed that, for his part, 
he could make the seven sleepers look wide 
awake as a baby with the colic. 

Paul added, “Why, l^ve been asleep with one 
eye for the last half hour. ’ ’ 

“Well, len, lay we all go to bed!” suggested 
the young stranger, with so tremendous a yawn 
that all the boys laughed. But it was his words 

113 


114 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


and, wliat meant more, perhaps, liis actnally 
rising and making a start that caused a general 
movement toward the old sitting-room. 

Otherwise Billy would just naturally have 
lingered a little longer, waiting for some one 
else to stir first. Phil, Paul and Dave would 
have done the same. For, undoubtedly, it was 
pleasant in the soft, white light of the full moon 
there on the old doorstep ; and undeniably 
quite an effort is necessary to pick one ’s self uj) 
and prepare for bed, under some circumstances, 
though the thought of sleep be very pleasant. 

With a blanket for covering, Paul took posses- 
sion of his hammock, from which he promptly 
announced that he ‘^hadn^t been so comfortable 
since he broke his leg’’ — an expression capable 
of such opposite interpretations that one might 
very well wonder just how to take it. This was 
the more particularly true when Paul Jones 
spoke the words, — he was so likely, at all times, 
to use whatever phrase came readily to his 
tongue at the moment, quite regardless of its 
being expressive of his meaning or otherwise. 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


115 


Billy and Dave occupied one of the bunks 
made up on the floor, Phil and Little Mystery 
the other. 

Young Mr. Worth had done quite a bit of 
chuckling to himself, during the past few days, 
in contemplation of the fun he would have with 
MacLester by pretending that he heard noises 
upstairs and down cellar, after the lights were 
out and they had gone to bed for their first 
night in the old house; but now the time had 
come he felt differently. 

It surely did seem strange and queer lying 
there on a pretty hard bed, and on the floor, in 
this great, dark, empty house. It surely did 
seem as if there were little noises every now 
and then that had no good excuse for breaking 
in upon the silence of the calm, still night. 
Noises couldn’t just make themselves, Billy was 
thinking; they had to be made by something. 

But maybe it was only the cattle in the field 
close by that he heard. At any rate he wouldn’t 
bother tonight to have a laugh on Dave, he re- 
flected. Because he was just about as tired as 


116 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


he ever wanted to be and everybody ought to 
get to sleep, to get np early in the morning, any- 
way. 

And presently everybody was asleep. True, 
there was a lot of twisting and turning in the 
hammock before the occupant of that place of 
repose at last settled himself, and it is much to 
be suspected that ‘‘Mr. P. Jones, Esquire’’ 
found his bed less satisfactory than he pre- 
tended. However, in time he was quiet and the 
scarcely perceptible breeze that played through 
the wide-open windows made the only sound in 
the old house; — the only sound excepting the 
slow and regular breathing of the five who 
slept. 

The little bed of coals in the fireplace glowed 
a deeper and deeper red and then grew dim. In 
some neighboring farmyard a rooster crowed 
once or twice, and now and again some lonely 
cricket chirped. So came the solemn hour of 
midnight; and so it passed, and if ghosts or 
other creatures of the darkness, real or fancied, 
were abroad, they came not near the dwelling 


THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING 


117 


whose bleak, uncurtained windows reflected fee- 
bly the pale light of the waning moon. 

What a different scene the morning pre- 
sented! The sun was scarcely visible across 
the lately trimmed meadow, sloping gently back 
to some high wooded knolls to the east, when 
the Auto Boys were astir. Billy was up first 
and it may he stated plainly, and without pos- 
sibility of contradiction, that from that moment 
sleep for any of the others was entirely out of 
the question. Not that the genial Mr. Worth 
would think of disturbing anyone ’s slumbers by 
rudely calling them to get up — most certainly 
not. 

His friends might sleep on and on, if they 
wished, and could. All he did was pound on 
'.the tin dish-pan, using a big spoon and the 
handle of a bread-knife as drumsticks, while he 
sang ^‘Please go Vay and let me sleep,’’ or 
some such words, at the top of his voice. 

‘‘Great Scott! I hope I didn’t wake any of 
you ! ” he exclaimed in the most apologetic tone, 
turning from the open door and pretending 


118 


TEE AUTO BOYE^ OUTING 


the greatest astonishment npon discovering that 
his chnms were getting np. ‘‘Since you are 
bound to crawl out anyway , what do you say to 
just a splash in the river, right off, nowT’ 

What Paul had said, and what Dave had said 
a moment before, on the subject of being 
awakened, was not overly complimentary to Mr. 
Billy Worth, unless one may consider it pleas- 
ant to be termed a “young idiot;’’ but their 
sentiments concerning a quick dip, where the 
water rippled ever so invitingly upon its shore 
of sand, were more to his credit. 

“Sure! We’ll all go!” said Phil to Bright 
Eyes, wide awake instantly, and wanting to 
know if he, Phil, meant to join the others. 

And they all did so, some of them with no 
more clothes than a single garment, and none 
of them, it may be said, in extremely conven- 
tional attire. But what matter? What’s the 
use of a secluded place in the country, away 
from the crowds and the public, generally, if 
one gains no opportunity to let loose for a time 
the wild instincts of distant ancestors, whose 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


119 


primitive customs are born in tbe blood 
through untold generations? 

The water was fine, the river was finer. It 
was not a large stream — barely forty yards in 
width, — but so clear, and the bottom so firm and 
smooth, that a better place for swimming could 
not easily be imagined. 

Of course one must go slowly until he had 
explored the depths somewhat, and knew the 
deeper and the shallow parts; knew where the 
snags or obstructions were — or, at least, were 
not. Yet this took only a little while. 

Just opposite the tree of red astrakhans there 
was a wide sand bar where the current eddied 
and played delightfully, its greatest depth being 
not more than twelve inches or so. Just up 
stream from here was a broad, deep pool with 
high banks on both sides. One jutted over the 
water making a tiptop place for diving. Down 
river there were rocky obstructions in the 
stream’s course and the channel became nar- 
rower; but at any point within view there was 
ample draught for boating and the temptation 


120 ' 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


to lose no time in building a canoe or a skiff 
came to all the boys. 

Billy’s ‘‘just a splash” lengthened into a 
good half-hour of fun before some one yelled, 
‘‘Breakfast I” The word produced a skurrying 
to the house as if the sound were magic. 

For use the night before, fresh water had 
been carried from the river, but Captain Phil 
put a ban upon a continuance of this practice, 
for drinking purposes, at least, as possibly 
dangerous; so Paul and Bright Eyes started 
with one large bucket and one small one to fetch 
both water and milk from a farmhouse a quar- 
ter of a mile beyond. 

“And tell them we can mix the two our- 
selves, ’ ’ shouted Dave MacLester. “ Now we ’re 
in the country, let’s have milk, — the real thing 
and undiluted. ’ ’ 

Billy and Phil got breakfast under way, mean- 
time, and the bacon and eggs, fried potatoes and 
coffee were ready very soon after the two boys 
returned. The milk they brought was all that 
could be desired and showed so rich in the coffee 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


121 


that Dave declared it would be called nothing 
short of cream in Lannington. 

All things, indeed, tended to make the first 
morning meal of the lads’ own preparation 
truly enjoyable. Thus, comfortable both 
physically and mentally, it was with the most 
pleasurable anticipations that the chums con- 
templated the days which seemed to lie so tran- 
quil and so care-free on before them. 

Paul had much to tell over the breakfast table 
about the questions asked by members of the 
household where he and Bright Eyes had gone 
for the milk. Mrs. Wilby had often spoken of 
these people, whose name was Fifer. Paul had 
told them freely that he and his friends were 
come to the Beaman place just for an outing. 
They, in turn, were quite pleasant and friendly. 
Particularly did they seem disposed to be agree- 
able when they learned who Paul was, for all 
remembered him as a baby and, of course, had 
known his sister very well. 

One question Mr. Fifer asked was whether 
the visitors had means of showing themselves 


122 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


entitled to occupy the old house. For it ap- 
peared, he said, that Jonas Tagg, living a half- 
mile distant, in the opposite direction from the 
Beaman property, had taken it upon himself to 
regard the place quite as his own. He might 
even order the boys away if they could not show 
proper credentials. 

‘‘I’d like to see him do it though!” was the 
rather war-like comment of young Mr. Jones, 
as he mentioned the possibility of such action 
on part of the aforesaid Tagg. 

However, it happened that Paul was not pres- 
ent when the old fellow arrived upon the scene, 
for arrive he did, and but very little later. 

Down past the Fifer place, thence across the 
river and up over a long rise of ground beyond 
lay the little town of Middle Eun. Thither 
Billy, Dave and Paul went in the auto, some 
time after breakfast was over, taking with them 
letters to be mailed home telling — briefly 
enough, if the truth were known — of the pleas- 
ant trip and safe arrival at the Beaman place. 
Certain provisions were also to be obtained and 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


123 


arrangements made for receiving their own 
mail at the Middle Run post-office. 

A further matter of pressing importance per- 
tained to the league base ball scores of the pre- 
vious day; for, though far removed from the 
scenes of the games, the young gentlemen had 
no thought of losing interest in the standing of 
the favorite team. If city papers could not be 
bought in the little town, a subscription for one 
of them must be forwarded at once. 

In this manner, then, did it happen that Phil 
Way and the Boy were left alone for a time. 
The two were seated on the shady old porch at 
the rear of the sitting-room, discussing the de- 
sirability of hunting up some straw or hay as a 
means of improving their bed, when the sound 
of footsteps coming directly through the house 
from the front door fell upon their ears. 

Considerably startled, Phil sprang up. Look- 
ing in, he saw a roughly dressed, sour-visaged 
man scrutinizing not very pleasantly the house- 
keeping equipment so lately installed. Quickly 
finding himself observed, the caller smiled in a 


124 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


way intended to be pleasant, no doubt, but re- 
minding Phil of nothing so much as a picture 
he had once seen of a laughing hyena. 

‘‘MorninV’ said the man. ^‘Look’s ez ef 
yuh’d come to stay.” 

^‘Yes, a couple of weeks or so,” was the 
answer, and as the visitor seemed to try to 
speak pleasantly. Way did likewise. 

^^Heerd ye was here. Some of the Beamans, 
Fifer’s girl said. Fifer lives jest down the road 
a spell. Met her up near my place jest ez I was 
cornin’ over here to hunt ye up.” 

‘^Mr. Beaman was Paul Jones’ grandfather. 
Maybe you remember Paul. He’s with us and 
he’s a Beaman, of course, but the others of us 
are just friends of his.” 

‘^Uh-m!” answered the visitor, looking 
around pretty sharply again at the contents of 
the sitting-room, then at Phil and the Boy. The 
latter looked in turn at him and, judging by 
the expression upon his face and in his deep, 
deep eyes, the little lad was forming no ver^ 
flattering opinion of the caller. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


126 


‘‘’Tain^t a good place for you boys to be, I 
swore, it ain’t,’’ tlie man observed gloomily, 
after a few seconds of silence. 

‘‘Ob, I think we’ll be pretty comfortable, 
especially when we get squared around a bit,” 
Phil responded. “You see we came just last 
night and are hardly settled yet.” 

‘ ‘ Uli-m. ’ ’ This acknowledgment — it was just 
a sort of deep gurgling sound he made without 
opening his thin, tight-shut lips — the stranger 
followed soon with the information that his 
own name was Tagg, that he lived “jest up the 
road a spell — first house on the right-hand 
side.” Perhaps the boys had noticed the barn 
with one door blown down, as they passed. If 
they had, that was his place. 

From the first Phil had been quite sure the 
caller was none other than the very individual 
he now announced himself to be. The proba- 
bility that the old fellow would be troublesome 
was foremost in his thoughts. However, the 
story of Grandfather Beaman and the descrip- 
tion of Mr. Tagg, as furnished by Paul Jones, 


126 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


did not quite tally with the man’s manner, 
though they did fit his appearance. 

Even with the most careful regard for the 
truth it can be said that there are more agree- 
able, better looking people in the world than 
was Mr. Jonas Tagg. He was anywhere be- 
tween the age of sixty-five and eighty years, 
judged by his appearance. His iron gray hair 
was long and hung like a shaggy, and not very 
clean, mane about his ears and neck. A short, 
stubby beard bristled over the lower part of 
his face but his upper lip shaved — or rather had 
been shaved a fortnight ago. 

Mr. Tagg’s eyes were watery and of a watery 
color; very small but very crafty; and even 
when he tried to give himself an amiable ap- 
pearance, as undoubtedly he did this morning, 
it would have required a very powerful micro- 
scope to have discovered truth or honor in them. 
Maybe it was the watery character of the old 
fellow’s eyes that gave to his large, sharp nose 
a similar weakness. He seemed always on the 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


127 


verge of having extreme need of a handker- 
chief. 

Attired in rubber boots, (the legs of which 
were so encrusted with mud and dirt they looked 
as if a kind of bark had grown over them) faded 
blue overalls, a faded gingham shirt and an ex- 
tremely ragged and equally dirty coat, once 
black, now faded a rusty green, Mr. Tagg was 
really not the most attractive person in creation. 

^‘We want to get acquainted with all the 
neighbors,” Phil Way answered to the visitor’s 
introduction of himself. Then he told his own 
name and the names of his three chums. ‘‘This 
is our mascot, ’ ’ he said, indicating Bright Eyes. 
The latter had been casting many covert glances 
at Mr. Tagg, but now looked squarely up at him, 
his expression plainly showing that he was not 
immeasureably rejoiced at the meeting. 

“Now, that’s nice,” Mr. Tagg returned, and 
took a pinch of tobacco from a bit of dirty paper 
in his pocket. He seemed to measure the quan- 
tity in a miserly way with his watery eyes. 


128 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


‘^That’s good,’’ he went on, his reference being 
not to the tobacco, but the desire of the boys 
to get acquainted. ‘‘An’ as a matter er fact, 
it’s because I jest natchly want to be neighborly 
that I come down here to see ye. Am’, confi- 
dential, I jest am go in’ to say that this ol’ house 
ain’t no place for you boys to be. But I ’low 
ye’ve come to have a good time in the country 
an’ ye hadn’t ought to be disappointed. What 
d’ye say to stayin’ in the sugar house in my 
woods, instead? Eiver’s right handy an’ ye can 
run yer horseless carriage right back through 
the lane, jest so’s ye keep the pastur’ bars shet. 
Confidential, ye know, an’ perticklerly so, as to 
the neighbors here, I kin say I know this here 
house ain’t no place for you young men to be. 
It ain’t safe.” 

“I’m sure it’s kind of you, Mr. Tagg, — ^very 
kind,” Phil replied, wondering what possible 
danger the old fellow had in mind. “But the 
house really appears to be dry and clean and 
we’ve aired it, too. Of course the well here may 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


129 


be bad, for want of use, but we ’re going to carry 
water from Mr. Fifer’s.” 

‘Mt ain’t that,” the old man answered, shak- 
ing his head mysterionsly. ^ Mt ’s enongh more ’n 
that, I kin tell ye. Jest yon boys take me np 
on that otfer of the sugar house fer yer campin’ 
out, an’ ye’ll be wise and glad — ” he repeated 
as if reluctant to say more. But in another 
moment he beckoned Phil into the house, whis- 
pered a few words hastily, then took his de- 
parture, tramping heavily out through the hall 
and the front door. 


!J no j^igr interesting DISCOVERY 

Phil Way .watched Mri Tagg out through th0‘ 
richety front gate; to the road. “ Funny, thing ! ■ '* 
ho' lO^Jaeulated ; hot that he meant just what he 
said, but rather that he considered something— • 
what theo old farmer had smd to him, prob-^ 
ably^-^as being both' extraordinary and doubt- 
ful. However, he returned direotly to the pOreh' ‘ 
and sat down beside the Boy. 

‘‘What it is? What it a funny ling?’^ asked 
Bright Eyes, curiously. 

‘ ‘ Funny that Brother Tagg wants us to move 
to his sugar camp. Jack. But we can talk about 
that when the fellows come back. I want to talk 
to you now about something else. ’ ’ 

The Boy’s countenance grew serious at once 
but he made no reply. 

“Once again. Jack,” Phil went on, “I’m 
going to ask you your name and where your 
130 


THE AUTO BOYSi’ OUTim 131 

home is and, let yon show me, asi I know,, of 
course, you can, that you have a good reason 
for— for being where you are, , You; know I 
found something yesterday— something that fell 
out of your old clothes. It was the last thing 
anybody: would have , expected to find : in them, 

, and that was a tooth brush, ; , It shows ime^ Jack, 
that you aren’t the, tramp you’d be willing iwe 
should believe;.,, It:makes me think that some- 
where, there’s somebody that would give a! lot, 
I ’ll bet, just to> see somebody elsei f . i , , 
..^tAre lere a good many millt in Lannington, 
where you live,? ’’ the boy , inquired, ; looking 
away off; across ; the fields,. , very : soberly and 
seriously, but no more answering directly .to 
Phil ’s words than if; he had not heard.. : ' > 

‘‘Sure there are plenty of factories, ’’ lYay 
replied, “but what has that to do. with you?” 

“I link I can get a plate to work lerevmaybe,f ’ 
the youngster responded, with determination. 
“ Lo, if I can, I ’ll come and , lee you: lometime. 
, I’ll have to have a name, if I work for dome- 


132 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


body, lo I’ll tell you what my name it. It it 
Frank Lantern.” 

The half-innocent, half-audacious expression 
in his handsome, clear-cut face as the Boy 
glanced cautiously up to note the effect of his 
statement, would have made the fortune of an 
artist. But Phil did not like it and was not a 
little impatient over the words preceding it. 

‘‘I hate a liar,” he said bluntly. 

To this there was no response. The Boy 
again looked far off across the fields and his 
face, now expressive of both misery and almost 
fierce determination, was again a study. 

^‘Lat right,” he said at last. “Lat it not 
my name. But I have no oler. I have no name 
at all. I have no home at all. Lat it all I can 
tell anybody.” 

‘ ‘ That was your tooth brush. Jack ? ’ ’ said Phil 
kindly, but seriously. 

A nod was the only answer. 

“And the clothes we first found you in were 
not y6ur own clothes?” the older lad went on 
in the voice of a big brother. 


THE AUTO BOY&^ OUTINO 


133 


There was not so much as a nod in response 
to this. Phil waited for some time before con- 
tinuing. Then he said : 

‘‘You see we like you, Jack — all of us, — and 
we are willing to believe you have your own 
good reasons for telling nothing at all about 
yourself. Still, it puts us in a bad position 
and — well, donT you see that it isnT because 
we’re curious or want to put our noses into 
somebody else ’s business I Gosh ! Everybody ’s 
got to act at least sensible!” 

This last expression showed the speaker to 
be really quite exasperated and fast losing 
patience. 

“Here come the fellows, now!” Way broke in 
suddenly as the familiar honk-honk of the 
Thirty came to his ears ; but Bright Eyes, still 
proudly defiant, was turning quickly into the 
house as if to get into his old clothes forthwith. 
‘ ‘ Never mind. Jack ! Come along here, old man, 
and stop looking that way. We’ll just have to 
take you as you are, I see that. ’ ’ 

Then Phil ran to the road to greet Billy, Paul 


134 


AVTo i BOYm ovTina 


and . Dave : and more slowly, and still v^ry 
soberly, tbe Boy followed. ; : 

The fervor of the boys’ greetings, as the anto-' 
mobile came , to a halt under one of the giant 
cherry ; frees, inlight have caused a stranger to 
suppose: the, friends had been separated by' 
weeks of time instead of fer an hour or two.' 
Yet , it must bei understood there was mtich of 
intefest tO' be itold immediately, to say ‘nothing 
of the defeat! of the fay orite league* team in yes- 
terday’s game, as duly! set forth in the morning’ 
paper> I to ibe diseussed. .Why, the opposition 
had simply made shredded .codfish of that new ■ 
pitcher ! WTiat a shame ! Where was Twirlet j i 
the myipcible 1 * What was the managenient 
thinking of ^.anyway? : . ; < 

'ilTuyther; news ; brought from Middle Etin; 
which was ndi i in the morning paper there piir*- : 
chased,,: however^ waS > the fact that Sam CarOw 
was i ini , the village. : . Paul had seen him on the 
street for jnst a moment and, forgetting dislike^ 
of the fellow in hiSi pleasure at seeing anyan&^ 
from ! home', yelled, ‘ f Hello I ’ ’ cheerily enough. 


THE AUTO BOYE^ OUTJNO 




Sara’s response was none too anjialDilie,: but ;be 
was naturally; sulky , after; the) liuniiliatijQn; 
suffered for his ; connection with the Star Lake 
.cluh. ' Not; a great/deal could, be expected^ per- 
haps.;: : h;-', 

. Phil insisted now> ; as. he had done ' earlier, 
that Sam should have , every chance jto^show an 
agreeable disposition ; iand; as all found some- 
thing more pleasant than; : otherwise in ^ ; :the 
thought : of; frequently seeing some one' from 
their own town, no objection; to Qaptain; Way’s 
plan of action was set fortlui So; ended^ ..for 
the time,; the/ discussion i of Pauf ’s: imeeting with 
: Garow. ; Other sub jects^ having . been likewise 
.disposed ; of, BMl quietly ; mentioned that ; Mx- 
Tagg had been laround, to pay his , respects.. , ; . 

; Quite as. Way < expected? the; ; iannouncement 
aroused vast interest at once.,; j Much specula- 
. tion concerning the seemiingly , friendly attitude 
shown by the neighbor , followed -when , Billy, 
. Dave, and Panl had learned aU .abont ihis visit 
and the, talk which had taken place. , i // 

But no, not all about his visit! One thing 


136 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


Phil omitted — the words the old man spoke to 
him alone jnst before leaving. His reasons for 
this were, first of all, Master Bright Eyes. 
Secondly, that he wanted yet a little time to 
consider in his own mind, alone, whether it were 
not better to keep this part of Mr. Tagg’s con- 
versation entirely to himself; not only on ac- 
count of the Boy, bnt in the interest of good, 
common sense generally. 

^ ‘ Shoot it ! We don’t want to fiddle away any 
time on his old sugar house !” Billy ejaculated. 
And, although it must be admitted that young 
Mr. Worth had no information whatever con- 
cerning the age of the building mentioned, and 
although it may be stated, also, that Mr. Tagg’s 
invitation made no reference to time being oc- 
cupied with musical instruments of any kind, 
the facts are that Mr. William Worth voiced the 
sentiments of his friends very completely in 
thus expressing his own. 

Still,” reasoned Phil, “we might go and 
look over his woods and the sugar camp. ’Twill 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


137 


do no harm and we want to be decently polite.’’ 

^^Till we see what sort of an axe onr friend 
has to grind — see if he really wants to be 
friendly or is just scheming to get ns down 
there for some reason we don’t know,” Dave 
added. 

That’s the system!” Billy pnt in. ‘‘We’ll 
jnst let him think we don’t suspect any false 
moves on his part. Then if it turns out that 
he’s playing fair, we’ll be glad of it; and if it’s 
some caper that he’s up to, why, we’ll have our 
eyes open.” 

To report all that was said with reference to 
this and many other of the more important sub- 
jects of discussion, as from time to time they 
presented themselves, cannot of course be done. 
Every one of the chums had always much to say 
and Bright Eyes, too, frequently volunteered 
comment and suggestions. 

His odd substitution of L or T for S or Th 
and equivalent sounds made his soft, pleasing 
voice only the more winsome. His remarks, 


138 


THE AUTO BOYE’ OUTim 


also, were often quaintly wise and that he could 
think capably and develop tin his, mind plans for 
work and for play, clever beyond his years, soon 
; became apparent even , to his : four friends 1- no- 
tice^ not especially intent npon such observa- 
tions, as a rule. ; ^ 

, However, ; with regard to Mr. , Tagg, as well 
as other matters, the [portions; of conversation 
herein . set down are> or - shoqld be^ : is-iifficieni to 
show how the friends regarded i each and- all. 
So ^11 the causes and the motives^ which shaped 
their course and led them into and out of their 
adventures, their fortunes : and their misfor- 
tunes; be apparent. And certainly more would 
be neither, practicable nor desirable. - W 
odds, for instance, how, many times Paul Jones 
exclaimed, Whatever can he be up to nowlp 
as Jonas Tagg ’s ; visit was discussed | ; ■ uji 

And there you are ! And here the Auto Boys 
are, deciding in much less time than re^quired to 
tell it, to spend the remainder of the -morning 
exploring the empty weather-beaten barn > and 
in searching out some of the curious contriv- 


THE A-UTO BOYS^ OUTINa 


139 


ances bixilt by Grandfather Beaman there and 
elsewhere. 

He made a monse-proof grain bin with a 
kind of mortar-like cement that he knew how 
to mix up.i It was before real cement work was 
so common everywhere, as now, and he called it 
stone; said Panl Jones, reaching up to the 
heavy wooden bar with which the bam door was 
dosed, i > ‘ But whatever ’s the matter with this 
latch?’’ he added, fumbling with the bar, but 
failing to get the door open. 

It was just one; of the departed Mr. Beaman’s 
odd contrivances. The latch was held down by 
a, . block of wood hung perpendicularly above it 
and which must be pushed aside before the latch 
itself could be released. 

A musty, moldy odor greeted the boys as they 
stepped , insido tlie building. Their eyes fell 
upon a scene of many cobwebs: and much dust,: 
the, collections of long years^ , through which 
these and the, mice and : spiders had had undis- 
turbed possession. But all . about were evi- 
dences of Grandfather Beaman ’s odd ingenuity,; 


140 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OVTINO 


or of Ms partially shattered mind. It would 
have been difficult, perhaps, to determine which. 

Here, on the main barn floor, were weights 
and pulleys by which with little effort he had 
lifted his wagon entirely off the floor when he 
^ wanted to grease it, instead of jacking up one 
wheel at a time. The same device, with fewer 
weights, served to lift the box off the wagon or 
help him to put the hayrack on, as he chose, or 
his needs required. 

Instead of a stairway or ordinary ladder, by 
which to reach the hay loft, he had a crude hand 
elevator hung in a wide chute. So balanced was 
it with heavy cubes of home-made cement, or 
stone,’’ as he would have called the blocks, 
that with little effort he had raised himself to 
the loft or let himself down again. 

After inspection of this elaborate arrange- 
ment, it was a surprise to find the stairway to 
the barn’s basement in a most dilapidated state. 
So steep was it, too, that the boys climbed down 
one at a time quite gingerly. Last of all went 
Bright Eyes. He heard Paul shout, ^Say, look 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


141 


at this queer thing ! ’ ’ as he was midway between 
the floor above and the floor below. Forgetting 
that he had other things of more importance 
to observe at just that time he looked toward 
Paul, put his foot on a loose step and tumbled 
head first to the bottom of the stairs. 

He laughed as he picked himself up, exclaim- 
ing, ‘‘How can I ever lee two lingt at le lame 
timeP^ And then, “Lat it jut le way I tumbled 
down tairt at home — or I don’t mean — lat it, at 
a hout where I wat taying one time.” 

So great was the little lad’s confusion at this 
inadvertent mention of a subject to which he 
never referred — his home — that he colored red 
as a poppy. He only made his friends the more 
curious, though, by adding, to divert them 
quickly to another subject, as often he had 
sought to do before, “I get lit it where ley ute to 
keep le cowt.” 

However, the youngster’s observation was 
correct. The cows had been stabled in the base- 
ment and a curious place it was. Instead of 
stanchions there were square blocks of cement, 


142 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTIAfE 


or stone, witli a short chain bnilt into each.; ;A 
hook, closing with a springs snap, in the .free end 
of each chain suggested that the cows; had been 
fastened by means of straps around the necks 
of the animals. It was one of these to y^hicb 
Paul had called attention as being -‘queer.” . 

Here, as everywhere, the . dust ; lay deep and 
the cobwebs over the tiny windows, where the 
panes were not shattered or gone entirely^ hung 
a thick, heavy gray. i . m ; ; ^ 

To admit more light, as well! as lair, a stable 
door was opened and then the boys . discovered 
the mouse-proof grain bin . of ; cement work of 
which Paul had heard his sister tell. ; It was a 
ponderous atfair, built against the stone wall of 
the basement, and at one lend of the central 
space between the two rows i of stables^ ; , . , 
Long empty, the dark interior of thei bin or 
great box gave forth an odor of unwholespme- 
ness and decay, as together Billy and Paul 
lifted up the heavy lid. i 
“Gee! I wouldnT want to be cooped up in 
there!^’ Jones ejaculated. “But there’s room 


THE AUTO BOYE^ OUTMU 


143 


enough ! ; Bandy place -to hide if ever we should 
be playing ‘I Spy’ here. See that the cover 
doesiift : come down on. me, now ! ” and with 
tbesh words he sprang Jnside. 

Sis;, feet , long, perhaps four feet wide and as' 
mBuy ideep,! the bin gave Paul abundant room to^ 
niove; about. Even with the heavy lid closed 
down he would have, been able to do all but 
stand upright. Yet he was glad to clamber out 
of the box, much faster than he had climbed in, 
when Bavj 0 ) proposed letting the cover down on 
him . just i to see how it would seem. 

At the side of the barn opposite the stable 
fpPithe cows [Were stalls for three horses. There 
w^s n sojt of rough cupboard, or cabinet j built 
out,from.th0 wall at the rear of the stalls, but it: 
spemed to. contain nothing save a musty curry 
comhy a .few lOld harness; buckles and odd pieces 
of .leather and straps.; The latter lay in a smalh 
lower drawer quite by themselves. i 

. -^Some-of this- Stuff might, come in handy in 
our tool box,’;’: said Pauh ^nd with both hands 
gath;ered up the entire assortment. ‘I 


14:4 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


^‘No, bring the drawer and all over here to 
the light,” Phil suggested. 

So, taking the drawer ont, Panl carried it to 
the open door. One piece of leather which 
would in a pinch do for washers, perhaps, was 
selected and Billy picked the drawer up to re- 
store it to place. As he was about to slip it 
into the cabinet, he thought it seemed short. 
The drawer was not so deep, from front to back, 
as was the cabinet itself. Paul was with Worth, 
the others having remained in the open door- 
way, and the latter called attention to his dis- 
covery. 

Golly Neds! I’d just like to find a secret 
drawer somewhere! Even if there wasn’t a 
hill of beans in it, I’d like to find one!” ex- 
claimed Jones, the lively interest every mortal 
has in anything mysterious firing his imagina- 
tion at once. ‘‘Let’s see if the other drawers 
are the same.” 

One after another the six little boxes were 
opened. All were of equal length. 

“Hold on a minute, though !” exclaimed Billy, 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


146 


and reaching into the space from which the 
drawer containing the straps and leather was 
removed, he managed to get hold of what 
seemed like a loose panel in the back of the 
cabinet with his finger tips. With astonishment 
and interest he drew it toward him. 

^‘It is a drawer!’’ he exclaimed exnltingly. 
secret drawer back of the regular one!” 


CHAPTER X 


THE INSCRIPTION NONE COULD DECIPHER 

Billy Worth was right. His shout, ‘‘A secret 
drawer!^’ brought Phil, Dave and Bright Eyes 
from the doorway in a hurry. But the excite- 
ment was for the most part quickly over. Not 
a thing did the little box, so cleverly hidden in 
the crude cabinet, contain but a small package 
of tobacco. 

Perhaps Grandfather Beaman, afraid of 
sometime finding himself without fuel for his 
pipe, had contrived this means of keeping a 
small supply in reserve. That it was concealed 
so carefully was just one of his eccentricities, 
it is likely, for there was no one to say he should 
not have tobacco if he liked, and that he smoked 
and even had the old-fashioned, but none the 
less vile, habit of chewing, was well known. 

However, if the contents of the secret drawer 
were a disappointment "to the Auto Boys, and 
146 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 147 

such undoubtedly was the fact, the discovery 
served, nevertheless, to stir to fever height in 
them a desire to look further in hope of finding 
something more remarkable or in some way 
worth while. 

One by one they looked back of all the other 
drawers in the rough stable cabinet; but the 
panels were tight, and by taking all out at one 
time they satisfied themselves that no second 
secret box was concealed there. 

“Wefil just rummage the whole old place 
from top to bottom!^’ declared Paul Jones, his 
eyes still glistening. ‘‘What if we’d find the 
money Grandfather Beaman got for that land 
he sold? No one knows what he did with it! 
Everybody thought he used it to buy that prop- 
erty that old Tagg stepped in and claimed. ’ ’ 

“Oh, what if you’d find a last year’s bird- 
nest!” MacLester replied, after his usual man- 
ner of dashing cold water on excessive enthus- 
iasm. “I’ll bet that’s all you will find, too.” 

“WTiat of it? It’s good fun and exciting, too, 
just to nose around for something — no telling 


14:8 TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

what,’’ Billy Worth chimed in, and his view of 
the matter was the general one. Even Dave 
wonld not willingly have given np further ex- 
ploring. He was just a little pessimistic by dis- 
position and, from force of habit, expressed 
himself in such a manner. 

A thorough search of the barn revealed noth- 
ing of more than passing interest, although the 
remainder of the morning was devoted to the 
purpose. Very dirty from contact with the dust 
and cobwebs, the five boys gave up their hunt- 
ing at last, and raced pell-mell to the river 
again for a swim and a cleaning up, these opera- 
tions being very pleasantly combined, in pre- 
paration for dinner. 

The water was even finer than before, if that 
were possible. The air was warmer, too, and 
the bright, August sun shone down most de- 
lightfully upon bare backs whose owners 
perched like frogs at the river’s margin, catch- 
ing their breaths between feats of aquatic skill. 

From down the river and a quarter of a mile 
or more distant came the sharp rattle of a pneu- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


149 


matic hammer. Although the work in progress 
was concealed by trees and the bending of the 
stream, the boys knew that a railroad bridge 
was in course of erection. A large steam road 
was being straightened and a new grade estab- 
lished in the vicinity. They had noticed the 
work on their trip out as they passed along 
where the railway nearly paralleled the wagon 
road for a little distance. 

To go over and see the big new bridge, the 
noisy hammers and the men at work, at the first 
convenient opportunity, the boys promised 
themselves while dressing after their swim. 
But it could not be today. They were too keen 
to find more secret compartments in old cab- 
inets, hidden chests in dark cellar corners, or 
who could tell what might not be discovered! 
So they trotted briskly to the old house and all 
fell to under Billy Worth’s capable direction 
to prepare dinner. 

A juicy steak, brought that morning from 
Middle Eun, was the main item of the noonday 
meal and the repast was soon ready. In a space 


150 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

of time far shorter than would sound well, if 
mentioned, the dinner was eaten. 

‘^Now, then,” said Paul Jones, ‘Jet’s see 
what else we can find ! And, say, I know ! Let s 
see if we can find Grandfather Beaman’s 
wooden leg and have a look at the mysterious 
marks he made on it! Come along with me, 
somebody. It’s up in the kitchen attic!” 

“Say, I don’t believe I’d bother with that 
now,” Phil Way suggested, and his tone was 
quite serious. “Wait till some day it rains, or 
something, and we can’t get out!” 

But by this time Paul and Billy were half 
way up the steep stairway to the low loft over 
the kitchen. Very reluctantly Phil followed 
and Bright Eyes and Dave brought up the 
rear. 

The room to which the boys thus ascended was 
low and dark. The roof sloped almost to the at- 
tic floor at either side. The floor, however, con- 
sisted of only loose boards, laid upon the joists, 
and they clattered noisily under the visitors’ 
feet. Scores of wasps’ nests adorned the low 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


151 


rafters and the sharp buzz of the builders there- 
of made the intruders cautious. 

‘‘Pshaw! They wonT sting if you donT 
bother ’em!’’ quoth Billy Worth; but his very 
guarded tone indicated he had his doubts. 

“That’s so, Bill ! You know that and so do I. 
It’s in the books. But can the confounded 
wasps and hornets read!” growled Paul Jones 
in a half whisper, charily picking his way to- 
ward the gable window. 

By degrees the boys’ eyes grew accustomed 
to the semi-darkness. They made out a number 
of objects which invited investigation. One 
was an old-fashioned leather trunk containing a 
quantity of magazines and story papers, all 
more or less ragged and yellow with age. Near 
the ch imn ey, which mounted through the roof 
at the center of the loft, was an ancient bureau, 
but even a hasty inspection proved it to contain 
nothing of greater value than two tin candle- 
sticks and a shoemaker’s last. 

“There’s something in here,” Dave called 
softly, and stooping low, drew from the dark- 


152 TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

ness, close to the eaves, a black box, the marks 
on which suggested that it had at sometime 
been a light shipping case for tea. “Caesar’s 
ghost!” he exclaimed in surprise. “Here it 
is now!” 

Not the ghost of the great Roman was it that 
Dave had found; not at all, but he had discov- 
ered the object of the present search — nothing 
less, in fact, than the cumbersome leg of wood 
which, long ago, Benjamin Beaman, volunteer 
in his country’s service and the Union’s cause, 
had carved out for himself in lieu of the better 
one he left on the field of battle. 

The artificial limb reposed in the old tea chest 
together with an array of straps, now dry and 
stiff almost to being brittle, which had appar- 
ently been employed by the wearer to fasten it 
on. There was also a leather boot in the box. 
It had been used, evidently, on only those spec- 
ial occasions when the wooden leg was worn, 
and so had long survived its mate, its owner and 
its own usefulness. 

“That is it, sure!” cried Paul, entirely for- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING UZ 

getting the wasps in the intensity of his interest. 
‘‘Let’s get it downstairs to look it over!” 

“And here’s yonr grandfather’s cane and 
his crutch, Paul!” said Phil Way, almost rever- 
ently. He had just discovered the articles 
named hanging on the dark side of the big chim- 
ney. “Let’s not disturb them,” he added. “I 
don’t see much sense in such rummaging 
around, myself; and to be honest, it doesn’t 
seem just exactly decent.” 

Was Phil thinking of the whispered words of 
Jonas Tagg? Or was it only a certain respect 
for the memory of him who had lived so long 
here in the old house they were so cheerfully 
occupying that made him unwilling to lay 
ruthless hands upon the property of the de- 
parted? Perhaps ’twas a little of both. At 
any rate the genuine remonstrance and regret 
in his tone, even more than his words, attracted 
the notice of all the boys. 

“Why, we aren’t hurting anything!” replied 
Paul, vigorously. ‘ ‘ My sister said we could dig 
around to our hearts’ content, in the house, or 


154 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


out of it. We don’t think any the less of Grand- 
father Beaman for it! Sure we don’t! He’d 
be the first to say ^go ahead’ if he should step 
in here this minute.” 

Which I very particularly hope he won’t,” 
muttered Dave MacLester to himself. 

The return march downstairs had been in 
progress during this conversation and a few 
seconds later the five boys were bending over 
the artificial limb. They carried it to the bright 
light of out-of-doors. Intently they studied the 
strange array of numbers burned roughly and 
irregularly on one side of the wood, substan- 
tially as follows : 

How little likely it was that they could find a 
hidden meaning in the queer characters after 
scores of older heads had failed bothered the 
Auto Boys not at all. Right side up and wrong 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


155 


side up they read tne numbers through and 
through, again and again. Their efforts were 
lost. 

‘‘If we had just one thing as a clue — just one 
little thing to guide us!’^ said Paul longingly. 

“ Or if we knew the crazy marks had any spec- 
ial meaning in them ! ’ ’ Dave ejaculated discour- 
agingly. “And I, for one, don’t believe they 
have, either,” he added, as if his mind were 
very definitely and decidedly made up on that 
point. 

‘ ‘ Looks as if Dave were right, at that ! ’ ’ Billy 
Worth added. “But wait a minute ! By hokey ! 
/ know what ! Maybe the wood is hollow. 
Where’s a stick or something?” he called excit- 
edly. ‘ ‘ If it is hollow we can mighty soon tell 
by tapping it ! ” 

Bright Eyes, alert and eager to be of use, 
quickly brought a base ball bat from the fire- 
jDlace corner. With Paul holding the artificial 
limb clear of the floor, and all the boys leaning 
close with ears strained, the youngster gently 
tapped the wooden leg. Again and again he 


156 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


did so from the tip of toe to knee, which marked 
its total length. No hollow sonnd conld he ob- 
served. Unmistakably, indeed, the wood rang 
sonnd and solid as any block of sonnd and solid 
wood conld do. 

^ ^ I tell yon there ’s nothing to it, ’ ’ Dave Mac- 
Lester again declared. 

^^Dave may he right, or he may he wrong, 
fellows,’’ said Phil, qnietly, ‘‘hnt honestly, I 
can’t see the nse of spending any more time 
over it now. Besides, I want to get ont in the 
car, somewhere. Let’s see something of the 
conntry aronnd here.” 

‘‘Pnt it away, Skeezicks. Pnt it in the chim- 
ney corner. We’ll have another look one of 
these days.” 

This command to Bright Eyes came from 
Panl, fast learning, as were his friends as well, 
for that matter, to let the willing little stranger 
be jnst as helpfnl as he wished. In fact, it is 
considerably to he feared that in time the 
youngster’s amiable, willing disposition might 
have been quite imposed upon had fortune 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OVTUtTG 


157 


willed that he remain a member of the party 
indefinitely. 

^^Well, who’s going to take a jaunt over to 
Middle Eun — or somewhere?” persisted Phil, 
apparently anxious to take a ride, but more 
anxious, if the truth were known, to have an 
opportunity of conversing with one or all of the 
other boys when Bright Eyes was not near. 
‘^You and Dave come along, Billy! Paul and 
Jack can stay behind and just sort of look after 
things at home a bit, if they want to.” 

‘^Sure I Go on, I don’t care. We don’t either 
of us care, do we, Dudley?” Paul answered. 

He often called the Boy by the first name 
that popped into his mind. Perhaps, con- 
sciously or unconsciously, he imitated Uncle Joe 
Brush, who in ‘‘The Auto Boys,” it will be re- 
membered, had a different name for his handy 
man each time he wanted him. 

“Lertainly I I get we can take care of ourlelt 
and maybe find lat money before ley get back. 
Wouldn’t lat be fine?” 

Needless to say Master Bright Eyes was the 


158 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


speaker. Assent being thus readily given, the 
Thirty, with Phil at the wheel and Dave and 
Billy in the tonnean, presently rolled easily out 
of the grass-grown drive and in the direction 
of Middle Eun. 

Left together Paul and Master Mystery soon 
arrived at a plan to try for fish in some of the 
small, deep pools above the swimming hole in 
the river. They found angleworms where the 
ground was still moist, beneath the thick bed 
of chips near the woodshed, and were very 
merry as they worked together. True, PauPs 
sharp tongue made the younger and far more 
sensitive boy wince occasionally today, as it had 
done many times before; but he pretended he 
did not mind. 

Happy and contented, the two strolled 
through the abandoned garden, into the or- 
chard and the fields to the north where gentle 
breezes whispered across the old pasture and 
rustled in the masses of lowland undergroAvth 
beyond. Away to the west the tree-decked hills 
rose boldly as the walls of some monstrous fort. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


159 


In every direction were deep green shades of 
'midsummer, save where the golden-rod was 
coming into a profusion of yellow along the 
fences. It was a day to make one love the 
country and wish never to leave it. 

Phil and Billy and Dave felt the all-pervad- 
ing influence of the fine air as the narrow coun- 
try road slipped rapidly behind them. With 
quiet, certain ability their car kept its even 
pace, climbing steadily up the grade to the vil- 
lage beyond, as if hill-climbing were no test of 
power at all. 

^‘I^m going to write and mail a letter,” called 
Way, over his shoulder. ‘^You know the tooth 
brush I picked up when it fell out of that little 
chap’s old clothes? Well, I put it straight be- 
fore him this morning that the brush was his 
originally and the clothes were not. He 
wouldn’t deny anything but he wouldn’t tell 
anything, except he tried to put me off with 
some name for himself he made up. He thinks 
he’d like to get a job in Lannington.” 

^‘Yes, he told me so,” Billy put in. ^‘But 


160 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


what’s that got to do with your writing a let- 
ter?” 

^ ‘ Oh, yes ! I was going to say, ’ ’ Phil went on, 
one eye on the road, and with the other seem- 
ing to try to look backwards, ‘‘I’m going to find 
out, if I can, where there’s a town having a 
Ninth and One-Half street. Who ever heard of 
such a thing? But just the same the firm that 
made or sold that tooth brush is ‘F. & S., 27 
Ninth and One-Half Street.’ ” 

“Hump ! Guess you could write a good many 
letters before you’d happen to hit the right 
town!” observed Dave, coolly, yet with inter- 
est, too. 

“Don’t you think it! I’ll find the town out 
with one letter,” declared Phil confidently. 

“Tell us how,” demanded Worth, after a 
minute or two of fruitless thought. 

“I’ll write to the Dead Letter Office in Wash- 
ington,” came the answer. “They know every 
queerly named street of any importance every 
place. They have stacks of different city direc- 
tories to help them get missent mail rightly de- 


TMB AUTO BOTJS’ OUTING 


161 


liverfed, and all silch things. Yon can just bank 
on it that they’d know where there’s an oddity 
like anything and a half street without having 
to stop to look it up— at least if it’s a street of 
any account^ and in a town big enough to have 
the streets numbered, which, of course this one 
must be. ’ ’ 

‘‘Gee! That’s a fine idea!” Billy Worth 
said. Immediately he was enthusiastic. Imme- 
diately he had visions of learning the town 
whence their mysterious little friend had come, 
at least. But neither he nor Dave guessed until 
Phil told them how easily such knowledge could 
be used to further advantage. 

“We’ll get the name of the town, y;ou see,” 
said Phil, “Then write to ‘F. & S.’ nt the 
street and number on the brush. We will ask 
them what information they can give about a 
boy having disappeared,---stolenj run off, or 
anything of the kind, from their city, and, pre- 
sumably, from the family of one of their cus- 
tomers. See the point? Well, we ought to get 
track of something that way, but to help further 


162 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


we can write to tlie mayor of the town, or some- 
body.” 

‘‘One sure thing is that that young shaver 
is not the gypsy kind he’d like to have us 
think,” Dave MacLester reflected aloud. 

“No he’s not and he’s a long way from it. 
I’m satisfied of that,” Way responded. “It 
does seem to stand to reason, though, that he 
must belong somewhere in this section — maybe 
not more than fifty or a hundred miles away. 
If we’d find out that Ninth and a Half street 
is in some town near here we’d just skip over 
there for a day. Maybe we could go in the 
car — and see what we could find out, in a quiet 
way, without anyone knowing what we were 
after.” 

“I’d like to do it, Phil,” said Billy very earn- 
estly. “Blamed if I don’t think there’s history 
hack of our finding that young ’un in the road 
that would surprise us!” 


CHAPTER XI 


A SMALL PUNCTURE AND A LARGE 
DISTURBANCE 

Phil Way had not yet told of the words 
Jonas Tagg had whispered, mnch as they oc- 
cupied his thoughts, when the Auto Boys were 
ready to leave Middle Run. 

They had written and posted the letter of in- 
quiry to the Dead Letter division of the Post 
Office department in Washington, with regard 
to the location of Ninth and One-Half street. 
They had purchased several sorts of preserved 
provisions to have in store against rainy days 
when they would not wish to leave the old farm- 
house. Also, they had struck up what seemed 
a pleasant acquaintance with ‘ ‘ Spike Marble, 
a very tall and slim young gentleman — whence 
his name, no doubt, — of about PhiPs age, who 
waited on them in the grocery. 

Young Mr. Marble was a base ball enthusi- 

163 


164 


TEE AUTO BOYE’ OUTING 


ast, — although that is not the word Paul Jones 
would have used — and it was his propensity to 
discuss affairs of the diamond with anyone will- 
ing to talk of them that immediately ripened 
into the acquaintance mentioned. 

Don’t want to brag none, but we play a 
pretty good article of ball right here at the 
EunJ’ said this youthful exponent of the na- 
tional game, wrapping up ‘^fifteen cents’ 
worth” of herring, and throwing in an extra 
one for the sake of the fellowship in his favor- 
ite subject. ‘^Come over about Friday after- 
noon and you’ll see us trim the Wilton bunch 
twenty ways for Sunday. And that’s going 
some, too, because they’ve beat every township 
around here except us and they have got a great 
pitcher, ’ ’ 

‘‘Don’t s’pose you’d ever think of a ringer, 
but if you ever want one you’ll find a good man 
for the box right here. ’ ’ 

This, from Worth, caused Dave MacLester to 
flush up quite noticeably, 

“Soft pedal there,” he growled, quite unin- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTllY^ 


165 


tentionally revealing that it was he to whom 
Worth’s laudatory remark referred. 

Spike Marble pricked up his ears figuratively 
and perhaps literally* They were large ears, to 
say the least, and any sudden movement of their 
owner’s sleekly combed hair gave them a motion 
of their own* They were more like the ears of 
an elephant than of a horse, however, so far as 
pricking up was concerned, and maybe their 
movement should not be called that at all. For- 
tunately it doesn’t matter. 

Spike showed his interest, at any rate. He 
was glad to know where lie could put hands on 
a pitcher for the Middle Hun team, for, while 
he had one good one, it was a Weakness to have 
nothing first-class in reserve* He promised to 
let his new friends know just when the Wilton- 
ites were to meet their Waterloo, as soon as the 
date could be definitely announced* 

Thus the Auto Boys returned to their car 
and, Phil suggesting that they give a lot of the 
youngsters gathered around it a little ride, the 
same was done and there could be no doubt 


166 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


from that moment that there would be a wel- 
come for the Thirty’s owners in Middle Enn 
whenever they chanced to be there. Then by 
a longer, but new route, rather than the direct 
road, the three boys turned the machine toward 
the Old Beaman place and Paul and Bright 
Eyes whom they pictured impatiently awaiting 
them. 

Billy and Dave found much to talk about in 
the prospective base ball game. Phil was 
quiet, — even unusually so. Jonas Tagg’s part- 
ing words were still in his thoughts and they 
annoyed him more and more as the day waned. 
It had been his resolve originally to repeat the 
old farmer’s secret communication to no one. 
Now he considered that by this course he took 
upon himself a greater personal responsibility 
than was necessary, or even desirable. 

Billy Worth had shown himself not likely to 
be easily alarmed by strange noises about the 
old house, usually so grim and silent, so why 
not confide in him, Phil reasoned? And, com- 
ing presently to the opinion that he should and 


THE AUTO BOTH OUTING 


167 


must do so, and yet not alarm Dave, lie laid 
his plans accordingly. 

The homeward road the boys had taken was 
much the longer one between Middle Enn and 
the old farmhouse, but much the better one, also. 
It avoided the hills. The course brought them 
out well south upon the thoroughfare upon 
which the Beaman place was situated, and they 
had to pass Mr. Tagg^s farm to reach home. 
Phil scarcely liked this. He did not want Mac- 
Lester to meet this particular neighbor. 

However, there was little danger, for Dave 
was improving the smooth stretch of road at 
this point, trying to demonstrate the truth of 
an assertion that ‘Hhe longest way around is 
the shortest way home.’^ So the residence of 
Mr. Tagg was approached and left far in the 
rear all in the space of a minute or two, and 
in but a little longer lapse of time the Thirty 
skidded gently around the sharp curve into the 
drive of the Beaman place. 

Who wants to go to Fifer’s for fresh milk for 
supper r’ asked Phil Way, as the car stopped 


168 THB; auto BOYS’ OUTING 

before the old woodshed. Of course no one 
spoke but this was quite as Phil expected and 
also quite what he desired. ‘‘How’d you^like 
to put the <?ar in, Dave, and Bill and I will 
goT’ he added as if the thought had but that 
moment occurred to him. 

-Bure! Go on. Where’s Paul and the Boy, 
I wonder, though!” Dave answered promptly, 
not quite relishing the prospect of being left 
alone, after all. 

Round somewhere. Better call ’em,’’ sug- 
gested Phil, but without more ado he brought 
the largest bucket the camp outfit afforded and 
with a significant nod to Billy, started slowly 
out to the road. The latter followed, wonder- 
ing what in the world his companion had meant 
by that quick, mysterious look. 

^‘Say, Billy,” W^ay began, thinking to ap- 
proach his subject gradually ; but when he had 
said this much he paused, 

Mr. William Worth answered : ^^You say, will 
be more like it.” 

”Ob, ’tisn’t anything much,” Phil answered, 


TMW AVTQ BOY^* QXJTl^Q 


169 


at a loss for a way to impart Joaas Tagg^s 
whispered iotelligeaee ia a gradual, easy man- 
ner, <‘The fact is that weVe johed a good bit 
about weird noises and soarey things of all 
sorts that we’d hear around the old house at 
night. I wouldn’t he afraid, though, if we 
really did hear something, would you?” 

^ ‘ Huh ? ’ ^ Billy put as much emphasis and ex- 
pression into this utterance as if he had said 
^ ^What’s that you say!” a dozen times at once. 

^‘Gee whizz! what’s the matter with you? I 
only said I wouldn’t be afraid if we did hear 
some queer noises tonight, or any night ; would 
you?-^ Phil half growled, half laughedt 

”Sam Hill, Phil, if you’ve got some notion 
there Qre ghosts there, for pity sake don’t scare 
a man to death by hinting at it, but talk right 
out. I know you’ve got something on your 
mind ! ^ ’ And, having delivered this conviction. 
Worth stopped in the middle of the road as if 
he’d not budge an inch till he obtained satis- 
faction. 

‘‘Now, look here, Billy,’’ said Way eonciliat- 


ITO 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


ingly, ‘‘I know that yon are sensible about such 
foolish things as spooks and all that, but Dave 
isn’t, and I’m afraid Paul would be pretty ner- 
vous, as well, to say nothing of the Little Chap. 
So that’s why I asked you to come along down to 
Fifer’s with me that I might tell you what that 
old fellow Tagg told me this morning.” 

Great ginger! He said the house was 
haunted!” was Billy’s forceful and sudden ex- 
clamation. ‘ ‘ Say, did he say that 1 Did he, for 
a factf^* 

‘‘Now you keep your shirt on, Billy Worth,” 
was the answer in a tone of reassurance. “No 
need to get excited and, above all, don’t tell the 
other fellows, at least not yet; but that’s the 
size of the situation. He whispered it to me just 
as he was going away. He didn’t let the Boy 
hear it, but he whispered to me, Tagg did, ‘Ye 
hadn’t ought ter stay here another night. The 
house is haunted, sure!’ Well, sir, I thought 
mighty little of it at first, and I just said to 
myself, ^Is that so?’ and ‘It’s a funny thing 
But afterward I was some worried by it. ’ ’ 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


171 


^‘Why, there’s no such thing as ghosts,” as- 
serted Billy Worth, shortly, bnt yet with a note 
of apprehension in his voice. 

‘^No, ’tisn’t that. I’m no more afraid of 
there being real ghosts than yon are. Jnst as 
yon say, there is no snch thing; hnt why does 
this Jonas Tagg want ns to be scared away? 
And if he has told ns there are ghosts, and we 
don’t take his word for it and Vamoose, isn’t he 
likely to try to prodnce a spook or two for onr 
special benefit? That’s what I don’t like.” 

‘‘Hnmph! Like as not the old chap actnally 
thinks the honse is hannted. Plenty of people 
get snch notions into their heads whenever an 
old, old honse stands empty a good while and 
the weeds and brnsh grow np aronnd it. What 
pnrpose conld he have in trying to scare 
This line of reasoning was logical enongh bnt 
it did not satisfy Phil. He felt that some motive 
other than kindly friendliness had prompted the 
visit of Jonas Tagg and his evident desire to 
coax or frighten his new neighbors away from 
the Beaman place. What this motive might be. 


172 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINQ 


he could not gueiss. Perhaps the old fellow was 
afraid the hoys would be destructive and he 
wished to preserve the property, practically 
abandoned though it was. Still this was a very 
doubtful supposition, too. 

‘‘We ^11 just keep our eyes open, that’s all,” 
declared Billy with courage. 

“And Say nothing to the other fellows?” 
asked Phil, after some further discussion. 

But as to this no decision was reached. The 
subject was dropped when, with six quarts of 
fresh, rich milk carried between them by a stick 
put under the handle of the bucket, the two boys 
turned in at the rickety little gate^ Slowly they 
walked up the old, old path now bordered by 
the rank growth of weeds and grass, and so 
through the big yard to the little portico and 
the front door. 

At the step the boys paused to leave the stick 
by which they had carried the bucket. It fell 
with a quiet thud upon the grass-grown gravel 
when Billy threw it down. Following quickly, 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


173 


like some strong echo, came a heavier, deeper 
thnd-like sound through the half-open door. 

^^Hark!’^ 

Again came the noise as before, like some 
piece of wood striking upon the bare floor far 
in the depths of the old house. 

‘^Hark!’’ said Billy Worth again, his hand 
raised, while he bent lower, listening. 

Again and again, at steady intervals, came 
the deep thud through the doorway. 

‘^Why, it sounds for all the world like some- 
body stumping around on a wooden leg,’’ mut- 
tered Phil Way, half in earnest, half in jest. 
His eyes twinkled but his face showed that his 
thoughts weren’t wholly comfortable. 

‘ ‘ That ’ll do you ! This ain ’t no time for fool- 
ing,” Billy whispered seriously. ‘‘What in all- 
get-out is it, Phil?” 

“S’pose we go in — and find out,” came the 
answer. “Will you come?” 

Assuring himself carefully that Billy was 
right at his heels, Phil picked up the pail of 


174 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


milk, pushed the door wide open and stepped 
into the long, dim hall. 

Again and again the heavy thud sounded 
upon the boys^ ears but the noise seemed to re- 
cede as they advanced. Straight on to the old 
sitting-room, now their general headquarters, 
the two resolutely went forth. 

^^It comes from out-doors!’’ exclaimed Phil, 
feeling vastly relieved for some reason. 

Great Scott, Dave! What the dickens you 
doing?” demanded Billy pretty forcefully, the 
next moment. For, stepping quickly to the door 
opening upon the back porch, he found Mr. 
David MacLester vigorously assaulting a rear 
tire with a small iron lever. With a heavy thud- 
ding sound his measured blows fell upon the 
rubber. 

‘‘What you pounding away that fashion for 
without telling anybody?” Worth demanded 
again, a pronounced note of objection to any 
such high-handed proceeding in his voice. 

“Sh-h! Don’t tell Mm about it,” whispered 
Phil quickly, and Billy, seeing at once that his 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


175 


manner might make an unpleasant confession 
of his very recent fright necessary, changed his 
tone instantly. It was quite different when he 
said: 

‘‘What’s the row; I mean, what’s happened 
to the tire, Mac!” 

“Nail!” growled David, still whacking away. 

The one word told the story. Eunning 
through the chickweed and plantain that cov- 
ered the ground about the woodshed the left 
rear had struck the unfriendly nail projecting 
from a bit of board. In trying to remove the 
damaged tire Dave found it rusted fast in the 
clinch of the wheel rim. His blows were in- 
tended to loosen it. 

“Knew there were a million punctures lying 
loose around here — ^more or less,” MacLester 
growled again. “Bet you fellows saw that tire 
go flat and that ’s why you hustled off so. ’ ’ 

“Nothing to that, Davie!” said Phil good- 
naturedly and, taking the lever from him, soon 
had the tire off the rim. 

‘ ‘ Where ’s Paul and the kiddo ! ’ ’ asked Billy. 


176 TEE AUTO E0Y8* DUfmO 

‘‘Oil, say! don’t use that word, Billy! Now 
don’t!” Way protested. can stand most 
anything but that and I’ve told yon plenty of 
times before.” 

“Excuse me, teacher,” was the answer with 
a great show of pretended deference. “May I 
venture, then, to inquire where Mr. Jones and 
our diminutive juvenile friend may in all prob- 
ability be at the present moment?” 

Phil still looked sober and displeased, so, 
knowing very well that there were a good rnany 
slang words to which Worth did seriously 
object, and that slang wasn’t particularly indi- 
cative of intellect, anyway, Billy carried his 
joke no further. 

‘‘Beckon somebody’ll have to hunt ’em up. 
I’ve looked all over the place,” said Dave, re- 
ferring, of course, to the absent ones. There 
was still Something of a growl in his Voice. 
Punctures and all such annoyances always dis- 
turbed MacLester very much more than any of 
his companions. Somehow he had never fully; 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


177 


learned how much easier it is to see the brighter 
side once one makes a practice of it. 

However, there was no occasion to go in 
search of Paul J ones and the Boy. Even before 
the puncture had been located in the inner tube 
of the tire there came a shrill, sweet voice call- 
ing from the orchard : 

‘‘How’ll about leven fit do for tupperT’ 

Bright Eyes and Paul were hurrying home- 
ward fairly well rewarded for their expedition 
to the river. 

“’Leven fish — that’s two apiece and one 
over!” shouted Billy with a laugh. 

“No-o-o! I didn’t lay leven; I laid leven,” 
was the answer. 

And seven there were — seven small rock bass. 


CHAPTEE XII 


THE INTERESTING DEVELOPMENTS OP ▲ 
RAINY DAY 

The unexpected addition of fresh, fried fish 
to the supper of plain bread and milk, and 
plenty of it, as originally planned, made, it 
must be admitted, an unusual combination ; but 
keen appetites ask few questions. True, the al- 
ways thoughtful Philip Way did feebly suggest 
that the fish might be dressed and kept in cold 
water to be cooked for breakfast. The proposi- 
tion met with small favor. 

There would be plenty of eggs and plenty of 
bacon, said Billy Worth, and he added : ‘ ‘ Never 
put off till tomorrow that which you can do to- 
day;^’ the logic of which quotation seemed, in 
this instance, unusually sound and convincing to 
all concerned. 

After supper the boys again sat on the front 
door step in the pleasant twilight. A light wind 

178 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTIYG 


179 


had risen and its mnrmnring among the 
branches of the old evergreens and maples, and 
in the lilac hashes and the tall grass, was inex- 
pressibly sweet and soothing. The clonds were 
raising in the sonth and west and in the very 
atmosphere, so soft and pleasing, the lads felt, 
as one may often do in the summer, the coming 
of the rain. 

But, though the gentle breeze and its whisper- 
ings were sweet and restful, they gave rise to 
something of a Aot unpleasant sort of melan- 
choly. The chums talked a great deal about 
home and of friends in Lannington, and every 
word was spoken in low and kindly tones. The 
whole influence of their surroundings and their 
conversation was to make each and every one 
feel his friendship and regard for all the others 
to be very dear and strong indeed. 

Even little Bright Eyes escaped all teasing 
and, though he participated very little in the 
talk, from his place on the lowest step he would 
rest his head in the hollow of his arm, thrown 
over PhiBs knee, and so seemed entirely com- 


180 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


fortable and happy. If, in the darkness, his 
eyes were wet while all but him were speaking 
of their homes and those who were thinking of 
them there, the older boys never knew it; nor 
conld they have guessed in a long, long time 
the thoughts that largely occupied him. He was 
such a quietly cheerful, unselfish little chap, he 
was often in danger of being overlooked en- 
tirely. 

Maybe it was the very warmth of the friend- 
ship among themselves, coming strongly to the 
surface under the circumstances described, that 
caused Phil Way to think he and Billy would 
do wrong to have any secret the others did not 
share. Going to the living-room for a drink of 
water, he signaled Worth to join him and, alone 
together, they at once agreed that all should - 
hear of the information Jonas Tagg had given. 
The news was told the others then, at once. 

Quite contrary to expectations, Dave Mac- 
Lester was not greatly disturbed by the report 
that ghosts and goblins frequented the old 
house. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


181 


Who’s seen ’emT’ he asked in his practical 
way. 

‘‘Oh! that man Tagg’s a fine old fellow to 
he telling that kind of stuff!” muttered Paul 
Jones. “I’d — why, I’d just as soon go right up 
to the kitchen attic at midnight, or any time — 
right now — if — if it wasn’t for those loose 
boards !” 

This produced some laughter and some teas- 
ing of Paul, of course, and for a little time no 
one noticed that Bright Eyes had quietly slipped 
away. In a couple of minutes he returned. 

“Lere aren’t anyling up lere; notling at all 
in le attic, and I went clear hack to le window, ’ ’ 
he announced calmly. 

As may well be imagined, his words caused 
quite a sensation. “Well, I wanted to tee if 
lere wat anyling up lere,” he protested in the 
midst of the boys ’ exclamations. ‘ ‘ Now I won ’t 
be afraid if I wake up in le night, becaut I know 
lere aren’t not ’in.” The youngster’s satisfac- 
tion over the result of his investigation was 
really charming. But his own confidence and 


182 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTIIYG 


his courage, too, were also a good example to 
his friends. 

All these things led Billy and Phil to tell of 
the little fright they had had at the front door, 
upon coming home with the milk, and so the 
evening was whiled away. The general discus- 
sion of the absurdity of Jonas Tagg’s ghost 
talk in every way made light of all such non- 
sense and it was not without a beneficial result. 

The rain came on. The wind blew hard and 
harder. Thunder and lightning contributed 
also to the storm. Quickly the boys were driven 
from the little portico and they went to bed 
while the old house fairly shook in the gale. 

But, pulling the light covers snugly over 
themselves, and listening to the pelting of the 
rain drops upon the roof and the bare, uncur- 
tained windows, while the swish and swaying of 
the trees out there in the storm and darkness 
added to make their shelter and security seem 
delightfully comfortable and sweet, one by one 
the five called “good-night.’’ 

Paul’s voice was the last. He had said “good- 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


183 


night twice, but later he thought of one thing 
more. Sleepily he murmured, ‘‘If that big bass 
I saw had just had a grain o^ sense, I’d ’a got 
him, blame him ! ’ ’ 

Eegardless of Mr. Jonas Tagg’s whispered 
communication to Captain Phil, one certain fact 
is that the Auto Boys’ second night in the old 
house was as uneventful as the first. The sud- 
den and terrific slamming of a door somewhere 
upstairs, blown shut by the wind, may have 
caused a bit of nervousness for a minute or two ; 
but Billy guessing, and at once announcing, the 
cause of the racket, all fell asleep again in just 
a little longer time than required for the three 
traditional shakes of a lamb ’s tail. 

Settling down to a steady drizzle, the rain was 
still falling when another day came. Paul 
looked out from his hammock some time after 
dawn, remembering that he had promised him- 
self revenge for the disturbance Billy created 
the morning before. 

His plan was quietly to rig up a dummy figure 
in his own bed, then slip out to the woodshed 


184 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


and toot the Thirty’s horn — toot it as if there 
was a moving van ahead. That his friends 
would suppose meddlers were about and rush 
out pell-mell to see, he had no doubt. 

Yet, somehow, the idea didn’t strike him quite 
so favorably now. He felt pretty snug and 
warm in his blanket. It looked pretty damp 
and raw out of doors. Oh, well, what did he 
care, anyway? He could even up the score a 
plenty later on. So he cuddled down in the 
hammock again, shut his eyes and forgot to 
open them. Nor did he stir further until Dave 
unceremoniously dumped him out upon the floor 
after thrice shouting his name without obtain- 
ing the slightest response. 

As it was, Paul gathered himself up just in 
time to bring up the rear in a race to the river. 
A brief plunge, then came a merry chase 
through the rain back to the house and a brisk 
rubbing down. This was this morning’s pro- 
gram, and in precisely eleven minutes from the 
moment he was fully dressed as timed by Bright 
Eyes and the Auto clock (which ‘‘Duck” Neely 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


185 


himself had given the lads) Billy Worth an- 
nounced breakfast. 

True, he had assistance, and, true, bacon and 
eggs are quickly fried. True, also, it takes 
rather more than six or seven minutes to fry a 
big skillet full of potatoes thoroughly; but still, 
they were all warmed through. As for any- 
thing more — “Oh, well, what’s the odds?” as 
Paul said. 

After breakfast there came a general 
straightening up of the old sitting-room, and the 
washing of dishes. The latter task fell to Paul 
and Dave until the latter, who was drying them, 
chanced to say; “Goodness! but this wiping 
dishes is a greasy job!” 

Billy overheard. In a moment he took in the 
situation. 

“Give me that dish rag!” he demanded. 

Paul yielded it with a grin. “Now,” said 
Billy, “you bring in a big bunch of wood for the 
fireplace and Mac and I will finish this job up 
without you. Maybe he won’t find wiping ’em 
so greasy, after all.” 


186 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


‘‘Honest, Bill, you’re getting as particular as 
a woman, ’ ’ declared J ones vehemently. ‘ ‘ W on- 
der you can think of my going out in all this 
wet without my rubbers ! ’ ’ 

With the morning’s work finished, Phil Way 
set about writing a letter home. Others fol- 
lowed his example, finding facilities as best they 
could. Phil and Billy quite monopolized the 
little table. Dave wrote on an upturned box 
while Paul sprawled on his stomach at full 
length on the floor, fairly burying his nose in 
his paper. 

Bright Eyes alone was left unoccupied. For 
a few minutes he stood in the door-way gazing 
pensively out at the rain and over the misty 
valley. Then he drew a camp stool to the hearth 
and, resting his chin upon one hand, his elbow 
on his knee, looked long and thoughtfully into 
the old fireplace and glowing bed of coals. 

“Come, come. Jack! Bouse up here!” ex- 
claimed Phil cheerily, his letter finished. 
“Won’t be any Santa Claus coming down that 
chinmey for a while, will there?” he laughed. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


187 


A wistful, — almost pitiful — little smile was 
tlie only answer. Could it be that somebody 
was homesick, or was he just being quiet that 
he might not disturb those who were busily 
writing? 

Phil would have given something to know. 
However, he asked no questions but, better yet, 
brightened the younger lad up at once by saying 
that he must go along in the auto to Middle Eun. 

We ’ll post our letters, get any mail there may 
be for us, and a paper, then come home for some 
fun around the house till it stops raining,” was 
his proposal. 

^ ‘ Tell ye, Phil, we ’d better give the car a good 
cleaning when we get back,” chimed in Billy 
Worth. ^‘She needs it and will need it worse 
after a run in the mud. ’ ’ 

^‘Just as soon bet that we’ll skid over some 
bank or something,” declared Dave, never fail- 
ing to advance some sort of dire prediction. 

^ ‘ That ’s right, Mac ! That ’s right ! And I ’d 
like to bet,” fairly exploded Billy Worth, ^‘I’d 
just like to bet that you can holler calamity in 


188 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


the most different ways ever introduced. I 
would, for a fact ! ’ ’ 

‘‘No takers,’’ chirped Paul, with his broad 
grin; but by this time Phil had slipped Bright 
Eyes into a raincoat, and was putting himself 
into another. “All aboard, you fellows,” said 
he. 

In another three minutes the Thirty was back- 
ing out of the woodshed and soon turning out 
of the drive onto the road with a wide side slip 
that made everybody but the driver gasp. 

The latter was Phil Way himself. Yet it was 
not because of any particular self-possession 
he had that the terrific slide of the car did not 
startle him. The fact was due entirely to the 
circumstance that he was driving. And you’ll 
find it generally true, the man at the wheel will 
be perfectly calm though his passengers hold 
their breaths. 

The wet road, in this clayey country, was slip- 
pery in the extreme. The Auto Boys soon found 
slow and careful driving imperative. On the 
heavy up-grades, too, the rear wheels would 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


189 


spin and spin, and refuse for seconds together 
to take hold and push the load forward. All in 
all, it was the most trying trip the lads had ever 
made with their car. Once, when their engine 
was stalled, where a lot of fresh earth had been 
heaped up in the old-fashioned style of road- 
making, all hut the driver were obliged to 
clamber out and walk. 

After only a short stay in the village, the trip 
homeward was made by the longer route which 
came around past the Tagg farm, as has been 
described. This being a more level road, the 
Beaman place was reached without further dif- 
ficulty. Then, the necessity, as well as the de- 
sirability, of putting the car in good order, in 
addition to the general washing up it now sadly 
needed, having become very apparent, no time 
was lost in setting about the task. 

All the boys, Phil and Billy in particular, had 
become intimately familiar with the working of 
the engine. These two occupied themselves with 
the machinery, therefore, while with rags and 
water, the latter carried from the old cistern, 


190 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Dave and Paul laboriously washed wheels, body 
and so ou. 

Bright Eyes was permitted to remove both 
the oil and the gas lamps to be brightly polished 
later. He winced perceptibly when Paul re- 
marked with sarcasm that he needn’t mind tak- 
ing off the license tag this time, but except in 
this one instance he was gay as could be. If 
his spirits had drooped the night before or 
at any time, no one would have guessed it now. 
Nor would, or could, any of his boy friends have 
guessed at this time that soon, so very soon, his 
bright, attractive face and cheerful ways would 
be gone from among them. 

When noon came the Thirty was in prime 
order from crank handle to rear axle, inclusive. 
Only the brass work remained to be polished 
and immediately after a hearty lunch of chipped 
beef, bread and butter, crackers, cheese, cookies 
(good ones, from home) and coffee, the shining 
up process was begun. The drizzling rain had 
not abated and all work on removable parts, 
such as the lamps, previously carried in by the 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


191 


Boy, was done beside the cheerful blaze of the 
fireplace. 

Brightly the flames shot up from the old 
hearth. Eight comfortably on this cool, wet 
day the dry boards, bits of rails and other non- 
descript firewood crackled and blazed. It was 
not a large fire, — just enough to give moderate 
warmth and unlimited cheer, but it dispelled 
the gloom and cast a bright glow all about the 
old sitting-room. 

Presently, when his own work was done, Billy 
reached into the corner and drew the wooden 
leg of the departed one-time soldier to him. 
Minutely he inspected again the queer char- 
acters inscribed upon it ; but he shook his head 
and let the artificial limb fall from his hands 
directly in front of the fireplace and quite near 
one of the brightly jjolished lamps Phil had just 
set down. 

Paul sat on a low box, at one side, rubbing 
away upon the tail lamp. He had been observ- 
ing Billy’s study of Grandfather Beaman’s 
strange inscription, and as the wooden leg fell 


192 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


to the floor his eyes followed and rested where 
it lay. 

Gazing earnestly, he became aware in time 
that the characters burned upon the wood were 
reflected in the shining brass near it. By de- 
grees he realized that they assumed familiar 
forms. 

Suddenly he bent close to the reflected figures. 
His expression was deeply studious. He saw 
how, when mirrored thus, the characters became 
not figures at all, but letters. His eyes opened 
wide and wider. His mouth stood agape. 

‘‘Gee whillikins, fellows!” he exclaimed, in a 
low, hoarse tone. “IVe found out what them 
figures say on Grandfather Beaman’s wooden 
leg!” 

It has no doubt been observed that in 
moments of sudden excitement young Mr. Jones 
was apt to use language not strictly gram- 
matical. 


CHAPTEE Xm 


GRANDFATHER BEAMAN’S PAPERS 

Paul Jones ^ words, coupled with his tone of 
excitement, precipitated an instant scramble. 
In the sudden confusion and his own haste, 
Billy tripped and fell upon Paul. The latter ^s 
box was upset and both box and boys tumbled 
in a heap. 

The artificial limb and the polished brass in 
which the inscription was reflected were under 
them. Bright Eyes, trying in vain to rescue the 
lamp, succeeded only in adding himself to the 
undignified mass of arms and legs squirming 
and wriggling before the old hearth. 

Phil and Dave laughed immoderately — ^ Jike 
a lot of Indians’’ — Paul said afterward (his 
similes were often more remarkable for a rough 
sort of euphony than particular fitness). But 
Way quickly extricated the Boy, and Jones and 
Worth untangled themselves as best they could. 

193 


194 


TEE AUTO BOYE’ OUTING 


“It’s all spoiled now, but wait! Just look 
here!” cried Paul, breathlessly, and he rapidly 
restored the lamp and the crudely carved wood 
to their former positions. “Now, see!” he al- 
most shouted, pointing with a wild gesture to 
the reflection; and the others, huddling close, 
saw and read the rough, irregular characters 
the shining brass interpreted. 

The inscription in appearance was substan- 
tially as follows: 

Post 

“Well, I declare,” said Phil Way, with sup- 
pressed excitement, “that may be pretty im- 
portant, Paul ! ’ ’ 

“Sure!” cried Jones with emphatic con- 
fidence. 

Was he right or wrong? Just what he be- 
lieved might come of this knowledge so unex- 
pectedly gained he certainly could not have 
told, just then, at least. Perhaps Dave Mac- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


195 


Lester own peculiar manner of dashing cold 
water was a blessing in disguise this time, for 
it brought the others out of a trance of bewilder- 
ing thoughts and set their minds to working 
soberly. 

^^What papers! What stone post!” were 
David’s questions. Maybe the marks don’t 
mean anything much now they are deciphered. ’ ’ 
‘‘You leave that to me/’ chirped Paul with an 
air of proprietorship. “Everybody’s heard of 
things worth stacks of money being turned up 
in just this way. Y ou know that, don ’t you ! ’ ’ 
There was a touch of resentment in Jones’ 
manner, and now Billy sided with him by say- 
ing: “Beckon your grandfather wouldn’t have 
bothered to hide ’em if the papers weren’t worth 
anything. That’s likely, Paul; but how in the 
world are we going to find ’em!” 

‘ ‘ That ’s the point, ’ ’ said MacLester, sorry for 
once to have caused J ones any irritation. 
“That’s where the trouble’s going to be.” 

‘ ‘ Be quiet, you fellows, and let ’s go about the 
whole matter in a sensible way,” remonstrated 


196 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


Captain Phil. Already he was thinking bnsily 
and serionsly. ‘^Sit down, Bill, and yon, too, 
Dave. We’ll bring something ont of this yet. 
Paul, yon ought to have some idea as to what 
stone post your grandfather may have meant. ’ ’ 

^‘Why, one of those he built out of that 
cement stuff he made, ’ ’ was the answer readily 
given. 

‘‘He made a good many of them, though!” 
put in Billy, shaking his head. 

“Well then, the thing to do is look around,” 
declared Jones, not quite so confidently. And, 
as all realized that Paul was the one most di- 
rectly interested, his suggestion was imme- 
diately adopted. 

However hopeless the prospect may appear 
to the reader, and however hopeless the pros- 
pect was, in fact, it may be truthfully stated that 
not one of the boys, with the possible exception 
of MacLester, entertained any such view of the 
situation. Youth and hope are practically in- 
separable. It is the combination which does all 
but perform miracles. Who ever accomplished 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


197 


anything if he started ont with any thought but 
to succeed? 

‘‘Now think just how the words read,’^ said 
Phil, reflectively. “ ‘Papers in stone post.’ It 
means some one, particular post that, for some 
reason, was known as the ‘stone post’ or a 
‘stone post,’ as if it were quite by itself; or, 
maybe, the only one of the kind there was. 
Your sister might know about it, Paul. Any- 
how, I don’t see what there is for us to do but 
examine everything about the place that bears 
any resemblance to what we want.” 

“Blest if I see any stone posts to examine,” 
declared Billy, somewhat later, after a general 
survey of the premises. “S’pose it might 
mean the posts the cows were tied to in the 
barn?” 

To a large extent Worth’s expression covered 
the case. There were steps of cement, — or 
stone, as Grandfather Beaman called it — also 
stone or cement watering troughs, feed-boxes 
and also the big grain bin. There were stone 
blocks — round, oblong, cubes and pyramids. 


198 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


There were, however, no stone posts in sight 
save those in the cow stable. These were in- 
spected, but passed by after the upper half had 
been broken off one of them by a strong blow 
with an old pick, and nothing discovered. 

All about the farmyard, in the forsaken, weed- 
grown garden, through the orchard and back 
again, and in every corner of the front door 
yard the boys pursued the search. 

‘‘Papers in stone post,’’ they repeated to one 
another scores of times ; but the deep, wet grass 
was trampled down in vain. The blackbirds, 
chattering noisily from the low marshes toward 
the river bridge, might just as well have said, 
“Papers in stone post,” for all the constant 
repetition of the words, or even the hunt, ac- 
complished. 

“Tell you what, Paul,” said Phil Way, at last, 
“I believe Mr. Fifer might know something 
about that post, especially if there was anything 
out of the ordinary about it. The Fifers have 
always lived about here, haven’t they?” 

Jones thought the Fifers had lived in their 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


199 


present habitation since about the year one;’’ 
at least that’s what he said; hut he was also of 
the opinion that it would not he best to let them 
know the secret that had been discovered. 

‘‘Don’t need to,” put in Billy Worth, 
promptly. “Who would ever think it strange 
if we asked questions about this old place? I 
just think we could find out something from the 
Fifers.” 

Thus began with the Auto Boys a series of 
incidents which added to their outing more spice 
of excitement and more of adventure than often 
falls to any one group of youths in a whole year 
through. 

Tramj)ing up and down, up and down, over 
nearly every foot of the two or three-acre strip 
of ground between the highway and the river, 
which’ comprised all that now remained of the 
old Beaman farm, the boys had consumed most 
of the afternoon. Tired, wet and disappointed, 
yet exulting still in the discovery of that strange 
inscription’s meaning, they gathered once more 
about the big fireplace. Here they discussed at 


200 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

length the suggestion that the Fifer family 
might be able to throw some light on the situa- 
tion. 

To an almost absurd extent were all the lads 
impressed by what seemed, to them, the extreme 
desirability of keeping secret the discovery 
chance had brought them. Perhaps, too, they 
feared the ridicule to follow if it developed that 
the characters on the wooden leg had no par- 
ticular significance, after all. At any rate they 
pledged each other to the strictest secrecy as 
they discussed means of pushing their investiga- 
tions further. 

‘‘IT just try the Fifers. No harm in asking 
a few questions, anyhow,’^ announced Paul 
Jones, at last. “You come with me, Phil. It’s 
time to go for milk and some good, fresh drink- 
ing water, anyway. We’ll do the two errands 
at one time.” 

Any plan that would change their fruitless 
talk into activity of some kind was just what all 
the boys wanted and needed, if they had but 
reasoned that far. And now Bright Eyes 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


201 


brought the tin pails for milk and for water. 
Phil and Paul set out at once. 

In their absence Billy sent Dave and the Boy 
to hunt up and carry in a fresh supply of fuel 
while he, the acknowledged chief of the culinary 
department, — and he glorified in his ability — 
set about to utilize some milk that had soured 
in the making of a fine large johnny-cake to be 
served hot for supper. 

Eight deftly he handled cups, spoons and pans 
and all that he needed in his self-allotted task. 
Soda, salt, cornmeal with a little fiour added, — 
everything necessary was at hand and, by the 
time Phil and Paul came in, there were baking 
close before the bed of red hot coals two large 
cakes as fine as ever made from corn. 

It was no mean accomplishment. Many a 
time had Billy put his knowledge of cookery to 
good use. It had been easily acquired. He gath- 
ered it all at home. He could dress and roast 
either chicken or wild fowl or fry a rabbit. He 
could prepare all the more simple dishes an 
ordinary camp would require. 


202 


THE AUTO BOYE’ OUTING 


Originally lie liad learned a little just for fun, 
but life at the ‘‘Eetreat’’ in Gleason’s ravine, 
which readers of ^‘The Auto Boys” will readily 
recall, had added to his experience and his de- 
sire to know more. 

There was something fascinating to him in the 
art of changing raw food products into delicious, 
appetizing dishes ready for the table. He only 
hoped the day might come, when, on some dis- 
tant hunting expedition, he would broil juicy 
venison steaks, and in other ways have every 
opportunity to put his knowledge to the test and 
give his own appetite free rein, before some 
bright campfire far in the depths of the forest. 

‘ ‘ My ! They do smell good, Billy ! ’ ’ said Phil, 
leaning over to inspect the two johnny-cakes 
tilted up in their pans, quite inside the fireplace. 

‘‘Wliat else you got. Bill? I’m hungry as a 
tramp, and we’ve something to tell you too. 
We’ll tell it at supper; that’s what Phil and I 
have agreed. ’ ’ 

This, from Paul Jones, elicited the informa- 
tion that hot johnny-cake and molasses, boiled 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


203 


eggs, green corn, toast and coffee would all be 
ready soon. 

The corn was a surprise which pleased all 
five boys greatly. A Mrs. Alban, who lived be- 
yond the bridge, had sent it over during the 
afternoon. Billy received the neighborly offer- 
ing while the others were hunting for the 
mysterious stone post at the far side of the little 
orchard. Like all good cooks, he kept the dozen 
well-filled ears out of sight. Thus did he cause 
their appearance, quite unexpectedly and at a 
time when appetites were keen, to be all the 
more enjoyable. 

^‘Eeady soon,’’ might mean five or fifteen 
minutes, or even more, when used by Chef 
Worth concerning the progress of a meal. It is 
a prerogative handed down in the culinary pro- 
fession from very ancient times, undoubtedly, — 
this right of chefs, to make such positive, yet 
most indefinite statements. Billy being no ex- 
ception, and, having set out to have an especially 
bountiful supper (inspired in part, by the mag- 


204 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


nitude of liis own appetite) he was not to be 
hurried in the least. 

Yet “ready soon’^ did become “all ready 
now’’ in due course and the friends were 
scarcely seated at table when Paul began. 

“Mr. Fifer told us all about a big stone post 
Grandfather Beaman made,” said he, with 
lively enthusiasm. “He’s sure its ’round here 
because he recollects having seen it not such an 
awful while ago, he says.” 

“Just as if we hadn’t been all over the place 
with a fine-tooth comb!” ejaculated Dave. 
“Mercy! This butter’s seen better days,” he 
added a moment later, his mouth full of corn. 

“Humph! Let me see,” said Billy, doubt- 
fully. “Maybe it is turning the least little 
bit,” he acknowledged, after a critical test. 
“We ought to have ice.” 

“There’s fresher butter, isn’t there, Billy?” 
inquired Phil, who knew the young chef’s weak- 
ness pretty well. 

“Why to be sure! You may have it if you 



‘ ‘ We ’ve got him ! Let ’s take the ladder down ! ’ ’ 

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TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


205 


say so, but we’ll never get this that we brought 
from home used up, at that rate.” 

‘‘Now ain’t he getting to be a regular woman, 
though!” cried Paul, “Why, say!” he went on, 
vociferously, after a good deal of smacking and 
tasting, “You can almost tell by the taste that 
this isn’t the fresh creamery we got today.” 

“Just what I thought!” Worth answered, 
grinning. “You can hardly notice it. If I’d 
told you it was the new butter, you’d have been 
perfectly satisfied. I don’t care, though. You 
get the new butter on that box in the kitchen, 
will you. Jack!” he concluded, pleasantly. 

Bright Eyes hastened away. “Don’t you fel- 
lows know that we’ve got an extra boarder with 
us!” demanded Billy, in his absence. “We 
never calculated on feeding more than our- 
selves. I think we ought to economize a little, 
that’s what I do.” 

The words were not intended for the Boy’s 
ears at all. Unfortunately he could not help 
overhearing them. He went on to the kitchen 
but waited there a minute or two till his eyes 


206 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


were quite dry again and he could smile as 
blithely as usual, before returning with the pack- 
age of newer butter. 

don’t link it very bad at all. I’ll eat le old 
butter, Billy,” said he cheerily, seating himself 
again. 

And the pity of it was that not one of the 
boys guessed that the words Worth had spoken 
had reached his ears. They would have been 
sorry had they known. They would be sorry 
indeed to lose their new friend now, too. They 
did hope to find whence he came. 

Paul had been told of the letter sent to Wash- 
ington, with this purpose in view, the day he and 
Bright Eyes were fishing. And he, as well as 
Phil, Billy and Dave was eager to take the little 
stranger home to Lannington. They would do 
it if they could but find there was no reason 
why they should not, or might not. That they 
were in any immediate danger of being sud- 
denly separated from him, however, never en- 
tered their heads. 

The little incident at supper has been related 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


207 


just as an illustration of a number of the kind. 
The Aut© Boys meant to he generous and kind 
to the youngster who, for reasons unknown, had 
almost forced himself into their charge, but time 
and again words were let slip or some quick 
glance exchanged which hurt the young 
stranger — ^hurt a great deal more now than the 
same things would have done at first, before he 
had been taken in as a member of the party. 

‘ ^ No, sir, J ack ! You shall not eat butter that 
Dave or anybody condemns,’’ said Phil Way, 
stoutly. But although the lad nodded aquies- 
cence, he quietly adhered to his own original 
declaration, and in the lively discussion which 
soon ensued, no one noticed it. 

Looks a whole lot to me as if somebody had 
found that stone post and what was in it, ’ ’ said 
Billy, returning to the former subject. ^^Why, 
it’s all of twelve years since your grandfather 
died, Paul!” 

Jones had to acknowledge that such a length 
of time had elapsed. But he was still of the 
opinion that Mr. Fifer would be able to give 


208 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


more information of value if he could but re- 
call where he had lately seen the post he remem- 
bered Mr. Beaman to have made. 

^‘The chances are,’’ said Phil, ‘Uhat the inside 
of the post was hollow, with an opening in that 
end which set in the ground. The papers, or 
whatever other things were to be hidden, were 
put into the hollow. Then, when the post was 
set up, they were concealed, as much as they 
ever could be. Nobody would ever think of look- 
ing for anything inside, unless he knew it was 
there, of course. ’ ’ 

‘‘Why, sure! No more than a rabbit,” said 
Paul, very seriously. 

“Humph! Not half so much, I reckon,” 
laughed Dave. “A rabbit would be sure to be 
looking for a post with a hole in it. ’ ’ 

“We’ll have the satisfaction of knowing what 
the thing we ’re hunting for looks like, when we 
nose around tomorrow, anyway,” put in Phil. 

“Did Mr. Pifer tell you?” asked Billy. 

“That’s so, we didn’t tell that!” exclaimed 
Paul, full of confidence again. “It all comes 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


209 


of Dave making a fuss over the butter, just 
when we got started. I should say Mr. Fifer 
did tell us a few things. He said Grandfather 
Beaman made out of his cement mixture, or 
whatever the stuff was, a big, heavy post that 
looked like a cannon lifted off its wheels, and — ” 

‘‘They don’t call ’em wheels! They call the 
whole thing a carriage — a gun carriage. Ignor- 
amus!” corrected Dave, witheringly. 

“Don’t interrupt, my little man, -and after 
while, when we have time, we’ll talk about some- 
thing you know something about,” was Paul’s 
answer, with very extreme condescension. 

This exchange produced a smile or two from 
the others and a delightfully hearty laugh from 
Bright Eyes ; but before Dave could reply, Paul 
continued : 

‘ ‘ This post looked just like a cannon lifted off 
of its wheels as I said before. Looked like the 
gun, and not the carriage, you see; which thing 
it was just on my tongue to say when some- 
body — or nobody (this with a very self-satisfied 
grin) interrupted. It was a big, heavy thing, 


210 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


large at one end, and small at the other and fin- 
ished off in every way just like a cannon. ’ ’ 
Plain as dirt!’’ cried Billy Worth, enthu- 
siastically. ‘‘There was the hole in one end of 
it, of course! Now we’re beginning to arrive 
somewhere!” 

“We’ve got to guess about the hole in the 
post,” said Phil quietly. “Mr. Fifer didn’t 
know whether there was one or not. He doesn’t 
even remember whether the post was ever set 
up or not. He said Mr. Beaman showed it to 
him in the woodshed, long ago, soon after he 
finished making it, and told him it was very 
valuable/* 


CHAPTEE XTV 


FOOTSTEPS 

The prolonged discussion of the day’s devel- 
opments kept the boys about the supper table 
so long that, springing up at last, Billy said 
‘‘somebody” would never get the dishes washed 
before dark if “somebody” didn’t step lively. 
Bright Eyes at once volunteered to help, and 
began clearing the table. 

“It’s you and me for it, I s’pose. Young 
Mystery,” said Dave, good-naturedly; for lazy 
or unwilling to do his share were two things that 
MacLester never was. So he turned to the work 
immediately. With the sweet consciousness that 
he had done his share before supper, Billy 
sauntered onto the old back porch. 

The clouds that, during much of the day, had 
been pouring out their contents, and even after 
the rain ceased continued heavy and unbroken 
were now giving way. In great billows they 

211 


212 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


still obscured the sky, save for patches of blue 
here and there, but the sun was going down 
bright and clear. 

Every prospect gave promise of a fair day to 
come. A robin chirped musically from one of 
the large cherry trees by the drive. From the 
orchard came the shrill trilling of the tree toads. 
From some distant pasture the lowing of cattle 
was heard. 

As Billy looked away over the thick growth 
of grass and weeds, still wet and sodden, he saw, 
through the orchard, the glint of the sun’s last 
rays on the river. Sparkling and bright at first, 
their light was fast growing dim and he thought 
he would watch until the last shining line dis- 
appeared. Phil came and stood beside him. 

‘‘See! Isn’t it pretty down there on the 
water?” he said. 

“And peaceful and quiet! I just love the 
country,” replied Way in the gentle manner he 
always had at such times. ‘ ‘ And such air ! ” 

An old white horse hitched to a vehicle that at 
one time was possibly a phaeton though now it 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


213 


lacked top, dashboard and practically every- 
thing it should have except wheels, and pos- 
sessed much more of mud than seemed even rea- 
sonable under any circumstances, had stopped 
out on the road at the entrance to the drive. 
The alighting of the owner was what first at- 
tracted the notice of the two boys. Leaving his 
horse in the middle of the road, he approached 
the farmhouse. 

‘^It’s Tagg!’^ exclaimed Phil under his 
breath. “What do you s’pose he wants P’ 

“No good to us. I’ll wager,” Billy whispered, 
as both boys turned to answer the old fellow’s 
greeting. It was a decidedly crusty : 

“Still here, be yeT’ 

“Still here, Mr. Tagg,” Phil answered cor- 
dially. 

The caller wore the same dirty boots and 
faded, ill-kept clothes as at the time of his first 
visit. His sharp nose and generally unpleas- 
ant visage were not, this time, however, softened 
by any effort he made to be amiable. 

“Billy Worth, one of the boys of our party I 


214 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


mentioned the other morning/’ said Phil, as 
Mr. Tagg came close np. 

Mr. William Worth acknowledged the intro- 
duction after the usual form of saying he was 
glad to make the acquaintance, or something to 
the same effect ; but he added in his own 
thoughts, an emphatic ^^not.” Very likely the 
visitor said the same, in his own mind, top, for 
he certainly appeared far from overjoyed. 

Aloud he said, ^‘How’dy do, young man?” 
and repeated the same thing twice, a moment 
later, when Phil called Dave and Paul, whom 
he introduced in a manner quite unconventional 
and friendly. 

Paul could not refrain from showing a rather 
savage expression and, no doubt, the neighborly 
Mr. Tagg noticed it. His own temper did not 
improve, apparently, for he was more crusty 
than before when he said: Didn’t see fit to 
take me up ’bout goin’ to my sugar camp to 
stay. Now, I told you once this here house 
wasn’t safe, an’ I’ve come tonight to tell ye 
ag’in.” 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


216 


fully meant to go down in your woods 
and see how we’d be suited there,” said Phil, 
with plenty of respect but also ample dignity, 
^‘but weVe been pretty busy, and the — ” 

‘‘Yaas, busy turnin’ things upside down. I’ll 
warrant,” interjected Tagg with a feeble at- 
tempt at a smile that wouldn’t come. The old 
fellow and smiles were not on terms of great 
intimacy anyway, as may be imagined. 

‘‘Found plenty of old traps an’ rubbish an’ 
that’s ’bout all — ’bout all ol’ man Beaman had, 
anyhow, I reckon,” the visitor went on, then 
paused as if for an answer. 

Paul Jones shot a quick, meaning glance at 
Phil, but if he feared for a moment that the lat- 
ter did not see the real drift of Mr. Tagg’s in- 
quiry, he was greatly mistaken. It would take 
more cleverness than this old gentleman had 
shown yet, at least, to pull the wool over Way’s 
eyes. 

“Found some tip-top apples in the orchard, 
good place to swim, and a rusty nail that one 


216 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

of our tires picked up/’ was the response Phil 
made. 

^^Also some good neighbors who sent ns over 
some dandy roasting ears,” put in Billy, jnst for 
spite, it is really to he feared. 

Mr. Tagg scrutinized the faces of all the boys 
sharply. Perhaps he was not satisfied with the 
general conclusion he seemed to reach, for he 
said again, curtly: 

‘^Old man Beaman never could get ahead, 
somehow, an’ he died poor as poverty itself. 
But it don’t matter, anyhow. He’s gone, an’ 
I’m here, an’ you boys ain’t no business stayin’ 
’round this house. Likely ye ain’t seen nothin’ 
yet to make ye say to that, but ye will, — 
ye will an’ I’m just doin’ my duty by ye to stop 
goin’ home from the Eun to tell ye. No tollin’, 
nuther, what all kind o ’ sickness ye ’ll git, pokin ’ 
into suller an’ garret. I’ll warrant.” 

‘‘What might there be worth looking for? It 
would be good fun to hunt for hidden treasure 
or anything like that, if there was anything to 


TEE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


217 


be found. Do you suppose there might be, Mr. 
TaggT^ 

This question from Dave MacLester puzzled 
the old gentleman. Very plainly he was at a 
loss to know whether the speaker was earnest or 
otherwise. For Mr, Tagg was quick enough of 
perception in his own way — quick enough, for 
that matter, that he should have known the boys 
were not fooled for an instant by his own 
guarded inquiries. If they had had the least 
doubt heretofore that their presence at the old 
place caused Mr. Tagg considerable anxiety, 
that doubt was dispelled now. 

For a few seconds their visitor eyed Dave 
keenly but still made no response to the boy’s 
words. 

^ ‘ Ef ye mean that f er a fair question, ’ ’ he re- 
torted rather tartly, at last,^ give ye the fair 
answer, there ’s nothin ’ here, o ’ course. If ye ’re 
jist impedent, es I suspect, why, then, I kin on ’y 
say that ye’ve be’n meddlin’ a ’ready with other 
folks’ goods more’n they’d like, dead an’ gone 
though they be.” 


218 THE ABW BOYS’ OUTING 

‘‘No, that’s hardly right, Mr. Tagg,” put in 
Phil, sorry that Dave’s words had been imper- 
tinent. “We haven’t meddled very seriously 
and we haven’t harmed anything.” 

“Ain’t meddled, eh^’ snarled the old fellow, 
decidedly irritated. ‘ ‘ Ain ’t meddled 1 What ye 
doin’ with that wooden leg, ’at I see layin’ in 
there by the fireplace 1 Don’t ye call that 
meddlin’?” 

“Wliat harm could there be in our looking at 
that ? Didn ’t it belong to my grandfather ? ’ ’ put 
in Paul quickly. He would have added, ‘ ‘ What 
business of yours is that ? ’ ’ had he said all that 
he felt ; but for once he did restrain his all too- 
ready tongue. 

“No harm but makin’ trouble,” Mr. Tagg 
answered, a little less harshly than before. “I 
told ye t’ come down an’ stay in my sugar bush 
an’ let things be, here! Ye kin mind it er not. 
I ain’t foolin’, not a mite of it, an’ if ye don’t 
come now ye can come later, fer I say it ag’in, 
this ain ’t no place fer ye ! ” 

With which remarks, in a manner still threat- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


219 


ening and harsh, but yet somewhat coaxing too, 
the visitor, shaking his head as he went, betook 
himself to his conveyance still waiting in the 
road. 

His gait was like a succession of stumbles, his 
body bent far over, his head drawn down to his 
shoulders. Even in the seat of the one-time 
phaeton, he leaned over till his chin was almost 
above the place where the dashboard should 
have been, and the entire outfit presented a truly 
sorry spectacle, as he clucked and sputtered, 
‘‘Gdang now; G’lang now!’^ to the old white 
horse. 

Bright Eyes looked curiously from one to 
another of the boys as silently they watched Mr. 
Tagg’s departure. In his own eyes there was 
an amused twinkle and all unconsciously his 
clear-cut, intelligent face reflected his own opin- 
ion of the visitor’s warning. Even his nose was 
turned just a bit upward in an expression of 
mild scorn. 

‘‘Awful lorry. Mi ’ter Tagg, but hone’t I’m not 
’cared any ! ’ ’ the little chap exclaimed presently, 


220 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

still eying the others as if to see how they felt 
about it. 

‘^Nope, we^re not scared so far, Jack,” re- 
turned Phil, cheerily, ‘^and weVe only got to 
remember not to be scared later on. ’ ’ 

“Yon mean you think he will try to frighten 
ns away?” asked Billy. “Because that’s just 
what I was thinking. The only trouble is, how 
are we going to be ready for him? Nobody 
wants to sit up all night!” 

‘ ‘ Might most as well as to get up in the middle 
of the night and beat all the tinware full of 
holes ! ’ ’ put in Dave with sarcasm, referring to 
Billy’s recent early morning performance. 

“Shucks! I just played the reveille for 
you! That’s the thanks I get for trying to be 
sociable!” Worth growled, with a pretense of 
injured feelings. 

“We could fix up dummies in our beds, then 
slip out and sleep in the orchard, so that if any- 
one did come around making a disturbance, they 
could make it and go away again,” proposed 
Jones, with a grin. “Wouldn’t they have a 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


221 


good time, though! Jimminy! I think that^s a 
pretty clever plan!^’ he added a moment later, 
with decided self-satisfaction. 

‘^Good idea, but it would seem to show that 
we were afraid to stay in the house,’’ Phil rea- 
soned, thoughtfully. ^‘And then what if no one 
came near ? The joke would be on us, sure I ’ ’ 

‘‘Couldn’t be sure whether anyone did come 
or not, if we didn’t happen to see them,” put in 
Dave. “I don’t think much of that scheme, my- 
self.” 

“Very well! Very well!” said Jones with a 
great deal of mock dignity, ‘ ‘ let somebody name 
a better one. ’ ’ 

But no one did name a better plan, or otfer 
any new suggestion, for the time. Soon Little 
Mystery, who had disappeared directly after his 
own observation that he wasn’t frightened, re- 
turned announcing that he had finished the dish 
washing all by himself. The result was no little 
praise for the Boy and a few sharp thrusts at 
Dave for having deserted his work. Then came 
much talk of oth^r things. 


222 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


‘‘If we just had a way of giving anybody com- 
ing to scare ns a bigger scare for himself, it 
would be the very thing,’’ observed Phil, later 
on, when the boys bad gathered about the hearth 
of tne old fireplace. The evening was just cool 
enough to make the glowing embers a source of 
comfort. Way was studying the flickering bits 
of flame thoughtfully. “The very thing,” he 
said again. 

‘ ‘ Seems a little crazy for us to be concocting 
such schemes when it’s just guess work, after 
all, that anybody has any thought of coming 
near, ’ ’ remarked Dave, feeling very comfortable 
in the chimney corner and fearing any sugges- 
tion that might force him to leave it. 

‘ ‘ That ’s all right, ’ ’ Phil replied, “but the time 
to lock the barn is before the horse is stolen.” 

“Well, you all know that I was the most timid 
one in the party before we got to this old 
house,” Dave persisted, “and it stands to rea- 
son, after the fun you fellows tried to have 
with me about it, that if anyone’s going to get 
scared here, I’m the man. So I’ll make a 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


223 


motion that we just wait and see what hap- 
pens.’’ 

‘ ^ Good deal easier than going to work rigging 
up a trap of some kind for a make-believe ghost 
that we just half-way imagine may come nosey- 
ing around, but just as likely may not.” This 
from Billy, who had brought in a large cushion 
from the automobile and lay curled up on it, 
like a kitten, before the fire. He, also, it ap- 
peared, was quite too comfortable to contem- 
plate anything requiring immediate exertion. 

‘‘Well, I said my say a good while ago,” re- 
iterated Paul, sleepily, persisting in his own 
original proposal, but only half-heartedly now. 
Maybe he, likewise, preferred that there be no 
occasion for leaving the cozy blanket he had 
spread down. 

“We’re all of ut ju’t laty, — almo’t,” was the 
Little Chap ’s comment, and he added the saving 
word, “almost” in such a gentle way that every- 
body laughed. 

Thus the evening passed. Phil half dozed on 
his seat, a low box, his chin in his hands. Bright 


224 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Eyes was on the floor beside him, the box also 
supporting his elbow, and time flew on till the 
glow from the fireplace was faint and the large 
room quite dark. 

Thump ! Thump ! Thump ! 

Footsteps — ^heavy footsteps somewhere and 
very near — uncomfortably near. 

Thump ! Thump ! Thump ! 

Again the footsteps. Where were they? All 
five boys were sitting up, keenly alert and lis- 
tening. 

“S-h-h!’^ It was Phil’s soft call for quiet, 
emphasized by his raised hand. 

Louder, — ^much louder than before, sounded 
the deep thud of feet upon bare boards. There 
could be no mistaking the source of the sounds 
now. They came from the cellar stairway. 
Certainly someone, or something, was climbing 
heavily up the steps, back of that closed door, 
which led below. 

Thump ! Thump ! The sound gave every in- 
dication of being very, very near to the top of 
the stairs. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


225 


In amazement and donbt, taken by surprise 
and really much more startled than frightened, 
the five boys awaited the outcome. 

Tap-tap-tap-tap. It was a muffled, rather un- 
certain rapping on the cellar door itself. But 
instantly it was answered. 

^^I get you can come in!^’ called a soft little 
voice. 

It was Bright Eyes, springing up with a 
laugh, regardless of the hand Phil still raised 
for silence. ^‘Come in!’’ he called again quite 
loudly. There was no answer. 

‘‘Open the door! Open the door, quick!” 
cried Phil, the next instant, his own courage 
stimulated by the younger lad’s example. 
Leaping to his feet, he put his order into im- 
mediate execution himself. 

A space of only a few seconds at most had 
elapsed. A shuffling noise was heard but it was 
the only sound and nothing was to be seen, 
though the cellar door was open wide. 

Quickly Phil struck a match, and Billy, close 
beside him, peering into the darkness below, 


226 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


lighted another ; but a sudden gust of wind from 
the open cellar windows put both tiny lights 
out instantly. The darkness seemed intense, the 
cellar door only a deeper shadow, leading down 
to pitch blackness. 

‘‘Where’s the automobile lamp! Let’s get 
one of the search lights and the gas tank and 
hunt the place over ! ’ ’ cried Dave. 

Even before he was through speaking Paul 
was out of the open door, onto the porch and 
heading for the automobile in the woodshed at 
a run. 

Dave closely followed. They reached the 
car before they fully realized the difficulty of 
connecting up the search light with their gas 
supply in a manner to permit of it being carried. 
“See what we can do with an oil lamp or the 
old lantern — anything!” cried Paul, as, fum- 
bling with the connections in the darlmess, Dave 
declared the search light could not be handled. 
“See! Phil’s got something burning now!” he 
almost shouted, turning swiftly toward the 
house again. 

At a run MacLester followed Jones, but, trip- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 227 

ping or slipping where the plantain grew thick 
beyond the porch, he fell — fell like a hag of meal, 
taking the breath qnite ont of him. 

Considerably stnnned, Dave lay still. For 
perhaps a fnll minute he made no effort to rise. 
Then, as his scattered senses came slowly hack, 
he saw through a low window a gleam of light 
and realized that a search of the cellar had be- 
gun. 

Quickly gathering himself up, he had risen 
on hands and knees when a swiftly-moving 
shadow caught his attention. It seemed to dart 
almost out of the earth, as it emerged from the 
depths of the outside cellar entrance, and almost 
instantly disappeared around the corner of the 
house toward the front dooryard. 

Both startled and frightened, Dave managed 
to scramble to his feet. Frantically he waved 
his arms, but his voice failed him and his effort 
to shout died away in a hoarse gasp. 

The shadow was gone. It was the figure of 
a man. Of so much MacLester was certain. But 
he was equally sure that that man was not Jonas 
Tagg. 


CHAPTEE XV 


A TOUR OF EXPLORATION 

Quite dazed by bis fall and the excitement 
of what he had seen, Dave stumbled giddily for- 
ward to the outer cellar steps. Still unable to 
command his voice properly, he stamped loudly 
upon the upturned, open door causing no little 
consternation in the hearts of the four boys 
below. 

Thinking, quite naturally, that these were 
more sounds from the feet so lately heard upon 
the stairs, Phil, Billy, Paul and the Boy ap- 
proached the source of the noise bravely, if not 
boldly. Phil and Bright Eyes were in the lead, 
the former carrying an oil auto lamp in one 
hand, a broken picket, gathered for firewood, 
in the other. Little Mystery had grabbed up the 
long-handled frying pan 'and Paul was armed 
with a broom. 

“What — what — what you doing here?” de- 
228 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


229 


manded Phil, with what force he could muster, 
catching sight of a dark figure dimly outlined 
on the steps above, and he raised his picket 
threateningly. 

This movement in itself, made plainly visible 
to Dave by the light of the auto lamp, was 
enough to cause him some alarm. Added to 
PhiPs own harsh tone and the experience he 
had so lately undergone, it made his voice shaky 
and uncertain, but the state of his temper quite 
noticeable, as he managed to gasp: ‘‘What — 
in — thunder do you think I’m doing?” 

Vastly relieved as he recognized the voice, 
Phil laughed in spite of himself, and with this 
encouragement Bright Eyes also burst into a 
merry little chuckle that was all his own. 

“Why didn’t you say who it was, then? 
Pounding away on the door like an Indian!” 
ejaculated Paul in exasperated tones. And this 
made Billy laugh and then they all laughed to- 
gether, the strain and suspense for the moment 
over. 

It was but a few seconds, however, until Dave 


230 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


was telling what he had seen. As well as he 
conld, he described the shadow which darted 
forth from the cellarway and announced his con- 
viction that the figure was not that of Mr. Tagg. 
Who the person might have been he made no 
attempt to say. He was only sure that the man 
was younger and vastly more active than their 
elderly neighbor. 

There was no need of searching further, 
though Paul and Billy, keeping unusually close 
together, did venture around into the great, 
dark front yard, where the breeze made mourn- 
ful music in the trees, and finally all around 
the house. They found nothing and presently 
all the boys were again gathered about the old 
fireplace. 

If they heaped on a large quantity of wood 
and made the blaze mount up strong and bright, 
which, as a matter of fact they did, perhaps it 
was because they were quite chilled by their 
exercise. Perhaps — ^but the oil lamp from the 
automobile didn’t make a really bright light, 
anyway; remember that. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


231 


What would be the next move in this game 
of give and take, so unexpectedly put into full 
activity! That was the question, and thereby 
hinged several important matters, among them 
the wisdom or the unwisdom of going to bed. 

If talk could have accomplished anything the 
boys must have achieved much. Unfortunately 
it did nothing but help to pass the time. Yet 
it did bring another result, too, — the determina- 
tion to hold the fort, at all hazards, and to find 
in the morning and trace, if possible, the foot- 
prints of the intruder. They might at least 
confirm, or disprove, Dave’s positive declara- 
tion that the pretended ghost was not Mr. Tagg. 
The old gentleman’s footmarks could be found 
along the muddy road where his phaeton had 
stood, and if these tallied with those which could 
probably be discovered elsewhere, as Phil in- 
sisted must be the case, the evidence would be 
convincing. 

It was long after midnight before the con- 
versation fiagged. Not a disturbing sound had 
been heard in the whole course of the later eve- 


232 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


ning, and now a decided drowsiness began to 
manifest itself among the occupants of the old 
house. Boosters were already crowing some- 
where in the neighborhood. Going to the door, 
Billy declared he saw the first glimmer of day- 
light above the eastern hills. 

get we better go to bed, len, hadn’t we?” 
yawned the Youngster, who for sometime had 
been about midway between sleeping and wak- 
ing. 

Somebody else said: ‘^Get we had, Pete!” 
It was Paul, of course, and he made for his ham- 
mock as if nothing could disturb him further, 
even though the house came down. 

Immediately, but with rather greater delib- 
eration, the others followed young Mr. Jones’ 
precipitous example. Only Phil, careful and 
conservative always, remained awake for any 
length of time; and at last, when the dawn 
showed plainly through the open door, he also 
settled himself snugly under the covers and, his 
hand resting fondly on Bright Eyes’ shoulder, 
gave himself up to sleep. 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


233 


What with the early morning swim being very 
late to begin with, then lasting longer than 
nsnal, and a search for footprints being made 
immediately afterward, it was approaching 
noon before breakfast was served in the old 
house this morning. It was Saturday. The sun 
shone pleasantly and the soft, clear air, after 
the rain and clouds of the day before, seemed 
doubly exhilarating. Certainly it would have 
been a time of exquisite happiness for the Auto 
Boys had they felt entirely care-free. 

Unfortunately this could not be. While the 
adventure of the night did not weigh heavily 
upon their spirits, nor yet make them in any 
sense wretched or seriously worried, it did fur- 
nish a subject for serious thought and occupa- 
tion. Then, too, there was the mysterious stone 
post they so earnestly wished to find to engage 
their thoughts, to say nothing of the scores of 
opportunities for fun actually going to waste, 
simply for want of the time for them — base 
balls and bats, fishing tackle and who knows 
what all, not to mention countless ideas and 


234 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


special plans wliich tlie place and occasion con- 
stantly suggested. Strange that one should al- 
ways think of some one thing that he would very 
much like to do, just when he must he busily 
engaged with something else ! 

The search for Mr. Tagg’s footprints along 
the road where his horse had stood was an easy 
matter. The broad stamp of his ungainly rub- 
ber boots in the soft clay was unmistakable. To 
find similar marks or any imprints whatever in 
the cellar, on the inside stairs leading up to the 
sitting-room, or on the steps at the outer en- 
trance, was not so easy. Indeed, the whole 
search was finally abandoned at these places 
with no kind of success. 

Very likely no shred of information throwing 
light on the pretended ghost’s identity would 
have been found at any time but for the merest 
chance which took Bright Eyes to the extreme 
south side of the large front yard. He was 
gathering odds and end of rails, bits of board 
and the like, for evening firewood, when he 
wandered along the old picket fence. Half 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


235 


falling down and in some places quite tumbling 
to decay, it stood and lay between tbe Beaman 
grounds and the cornfield on the south. A 
freshly broken picket caught the lad’s eye. He 
examined more closely and found tracks in the 
soft earth beside the growing grain. Some one 
had evidently gone over the old fence in a hurry, 
as the broken picket testified. 

Little Mystery lost no time in calling the older 
boys and they followed the footprints through 
a corner of the ploughed field to the sod along 
the roadside. Here the trail was lost and long 
searching failed to re-discover it. 

There could be no doubt but the imprints were 
made by the unknown intruder. Moreover, 
there could be no doubt that they were not made 
by Jonas Tagg. The pretended ghost had worn 
shoes, it was plain, and of a size that Mr. Tagg’s 
number elevens would hardly have fitted. The 
one circumstance which might connect the dis- 
agreeable neighbor with the night’s disturbance 
was that the intruder’s flight had been in the 
direction of that old fellow’s residence. 


236 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


All in all, it was a real relief to the boys when 
they resolved to let their troubles and mysteries 
rest and take the car out for an afternoon of 
exploring. Bright and shining from radiator 
to baggage rack, every bit of brass glistening 
and the engine working perfectly, the Thirty 
was surely an object to love and admire as the 
wheels gently skidded onto the main road. 
Dave held the wheel and Bright Eyes, at Phil’s 
special request, had the seat beside him. The 
tonneau accommodated the other three nicely, 
and when MacLester took them all skimming 
down the grade and over the river bridge like a 
short, quick roll of distant thunder, it was fun. 
Fun! Was there ever anything like it? 

Turning to the left at the forks beyond the 
stream, rather than to the right, which latter 
road would have taken them directly to Middle 
Eun village, the boys found themselves on a new 
but fairly good road. Bending in and bending 
out, it seemed to follow the river for many 
miles. The blackberry and elder bushes lined 
the old rail fences. The green of the willows 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


237 


near the water’s edge was delightfully restful 
and the more so when their overhanging branch- 
es, and the boughs of the butternut, hickory and 
sycamore trees, near the road, cast cool shadows 
where the Thirty left distance smoothly, silently 
behind. 

‘^We mustn’t go so far but we’ll have plenty 
of time to go home through Middle Eun and get 
our mail,” Phil suggested. 

‘‘And something to eat for Sunday,” put in 
Paul. 

“About time we were hearing from that letter 
you sent the other day, Phil, ’ ’ said Billy quietly, 
referring to the inquiry mailed to Washington. 
He spoke in an ordinary tone, but the Boy 
caught his words and glancM around with quick, 
searching eyes. 

“No, I don’t think so. No matter, anyway,” 
was the answer in a careless tone; and if the 
little lad still had some notion that this letter, 
so guardedly mentioned, had reference to him- 
self, he did not show it. 

Perhaps in h is ow n thoughts he supposed his 


238 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


new friends might be making some effort to dis- 
cover liis identity. It would have been hard to 
say, however, whether he may not have believed 
them now entirely satisfied to take him as he 
was, with no knowledge of his past history. 
Once, in fact, in his own odd way, he said : 

‘‘What difference whether I ever knew you, 
or you ever knew me before ? S ’pose a dog had 
followed you along the road and took a liking to 
you, and maybe you liked him a little bit; you 
wouldn’t care if he couldn’t tell you where 
he came from — wouldn’t care anything about 
that, just so you knew he didn’t belong to any- 
body.” 

Wliat a curious mixture of guilelessness and 
yet, at times, of penetration far beyond his 
' years, this little lad presented ! They were 
probably no more observing than most boys of 
their age, yet the four chums could not help 
but be impressed by the peculiar strength of 
their new friend’s spirit and character. Mild, 
affectionate, craving gentleness and kindness at 
most times, he would nevertheless show now 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


239 


and again a hustling independence and a fiery 
strength of will that were indomitable. 

Of his sturdy manliness and courage there 
could be no doubt, and if sometimes there was 
reason for suspecting a certain moisture about 
his eyes, no one would have thought of calling 
him “baby” on that account — no, not for one 
moment. It only meant that somewhere in his 
heart the secret he would not reveal was caus- 
ing a twinge he could never wholly suppress. 

It was after four o’clock when, by way of 
Twig’s cider mill at Oldgrove, for information 
as to which a debt of gratitude was due Mr. 
Spike Marble, the five friends drove into Middle 
Run. With a bit more of a flourish than was 
strictly necessary, perhaps, they drew up before 
the grocery where the tall young gentleman just 
mentioned gave valuable assistance when not 
talking base ball. 

Spike saw the car instantly. Half of Middle 
Run saw it, for that matter, and a goodly por- 
tion of that half gave the machine and its occu- 
pants a larger share of attention than was 


240 


THE AVTO BOYS' OUTIHO 


strictly compatible with their ordinary duties. 

Not so, young Mr. Marble. He finished wait- 
ing on the minister’s wife with as perfect self- 
control and polite interest in her purchases as 
if there had never been an automobile or in- 
teresting new friends as its owners within five 
miles of him. Even when he placed the half- 
pound of cheese, the last item, in her basket, he 
no more forgot, ‘‘And now what else, please?” 
than he would have forgotten yesterday’s score. 

And let it be said just here that Spike Marble 
had the right idea. If he was selling groceries 
his whole heart was in that and nothing else. If 
he was playing base ball he could be counted on 
for anything from stick work to head work. 

As the minister’s wife departed, the Auto 
Boys entered the store. There were no other 
customers at the moment. The tall young clerk 
expressed his pleasure upon seeing his friends 
again as did they upon meeting him. Needless 
to say, also, inquiry was promptly made regard- 
ing the proposed Middle Eun-Wilton ball game. 

“Just what I wanted to tell you — it’s Monday 


TEE AVTO BOYS^ OUTING 


241 


afternoon, here at onr Fairgrounds park,’’ said 
Spike briskly. ‘ ‘ Thought I ’d stroll over to your 
camp and tell you, tomorrow, if you didn’t hap- 
pen in. ’ ’ 

^^Come on over, anyway,” said Phil, cordially, 
and the others echoed the invitation which was 
gladly accepted. Then as the talk ran on while 
Chef Billy ordered fresh eggs, bacon, sardines, 
boiled ham, and a number of other items, includ- 
ing a fine large watermelon, it was decided that, 
like civilized young men, the Auto Boys and 
Bright Eyes with them, of course, should attend 
church in Middle Eun with Marble in the morn- 
ing, and take him home with them to dinner. 

The ball game was discussed, also, and the 
interesting intelligence elicited that Sam Carew 
had joined forces with the Wiltonites and would 
be their principal and, possibly, their only 
pitcher. 

^‘And that being so, I’d just like to have one 
of you to draw on for our team,” said Spike. 

We ’ll let them play an outsider, and no one 
can holler if we have one.” 


242 


THE AUTO BOYS' OUTING 


This offered an interesting prospect and Phil 
promised on Dave’s behalf that the latter would 
get his arm into practice a bit that very evening. 

It was an odd coincidence that Carew was 
found at the newsstand in the bookstore a little 
later, as the Auto Boys went in, and that he 
walked away without responding to their friend- 
ly, ‘‘Hello!” 

Could it be that he had heard of the probable 
line-up for Monday’s game and wished at once 
to show a hostile feeling? Or was he still sulk- 
ing and spiteful over the sad spectacle he made 
of himself in connection with the downfall of 
the Star Lake club? 

In any event Sam’s manner showed plainly 
that he felt anything but friendly. Phil Way 
was irritated, yet sorry. He had hoped to let 
bygones be bygones with Carew and had none 
but a good feeling toward him. 

Paul, on the other hand, expressed himself in 
no uncertain language, the general tenor thereof 
being that Sam was “a fine young rabbit,” and 
also a “sorehead, and never was anything but a 


THE AUTO BOY&^ OUTING 


243 


little cabbage bead, anyway.’’ Billy and Dave 
expressed themselves as being quite indifferent 
regarding Mr. Samuel Carew’s attitude either 
one way or another. Yet they did not see why 
he should act as he did. 

‘‘A lot more mail than some folks have hay,” 
declared the amiable young gentleman of whom 
the boys inquired for their letters at the post- 
office. He wore a distressingly high collar and 
a tiny, black bow tie and parted his hair in the 
middle. Anyone might have supposed, from his 
little vanities and very sleek appearance, that 
he was at least the third, or, maybe the first or 
second assistant postmaster-general ; but he had 
a cordial manner about him, too, that went a 
good way to atone for possible shortcomings. 

How much hay ‘^some folks” would have to 
have to balance the eight or ten letters and half 
dozen newspapers and postcards the young 
gentleman, who might have been the assistant 
postmaster-general, passed out to the Auto 
Boys, would involve considerable calculation. 
So, content to take his word for it, they climbed 


244 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


into the Thirty and sped homeward by way of 
the longer road, the speedometer showing 
twenty an hour. 

The snn was very low now. The day and the 
week would soon be over — past and gone, for- 
ever. How had they been spent? No one asked 
the question, yet probably all thought of it in 
one way and another, and it^s not a bad plan, 
either. 

The boys passed the Tagg farm at quite mod- 
erate speed. Vigilantly they watched to dis- 
cover, if possible, whether the household in- 
cluded someone whose shoes might have made 
the imprints found in the cornfield. But they 
looked in vain. The place had the same dreary 
air it seemed always to possess, with little 
sign of life and less sign of comfort or happi- 
ness anywhere about it. Still there was one ob- 
ject there, beneath an old pine tree, near the 
road, that, had it chanced to catch the eye of 
any one of the boys, would have interested all 
of them very much. 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE GREAT BALL GAME 

The prospect of another night in the big, 
empty house and all that it might bring forth 
did not disturb the five friends much while day- 
light lasted. Even when darkness settled down 
and the quiet of the calm, country night was 
broken only by the chirp of an occasional 
cricket, the flicker of the little lamp in the old 
sitting-room and the melancholy whispering of 
the wind, it brought no fear or dread. There 
was only the thought that quite probably the 
pretended ghost would attempt new tactics and 
so disturb and annoy. Such likelihood was irri- 
tating rather than alarming. The boys wanted 
only to be let alone. 

Some discussion took place in this connection, 
as to whether the fleeting figure, darting out of 
the cellar, was aware of having been seen. Dave 
felt certain the intruder had not noticed him. 


245 


246 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


The fellow had been so eager to escape that, in 
his haste, he looked neither to right nor left. 
He had fled np the cellar steps and then away 
at top speed. This being the case, he wonld sup- 
pose the boys to be quite at a loss to know who 
or what had come thumping up the cellar stairs. 
That he would so consider them greatly per- 
plexed, and ready to admit the old house to be 
haunted appeared entirely probable. 

‘‘Whether it’s Tagg or some one sent by him, 
or even somebody else, I only hope he does 
think we’re badly scared,” said Billy Worth. 
“It will be all the easier to fool him if we get 
the chance. How would it be if we should pre- 
tend to be just about frightened out of a year’s 
growth, if anybody comes tonight?” he asked 
with sudden enthusiasm. 

The plan was instantly approved by all. Then 
it was agreed that, at the usual time, they should 
go to bed and go to sleep or lie awake, as each 
was inclined. If any “ghost” came it would 
be allowed to approach just as near as it would. 
While feigning fright, the occupants of the old 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


247 


house would at the same time have their eyes 
wide open. If possible they would discover, and 
if the opportunity came, capture the would-be 

spook.’’ They would have liked a plan to 
turn the tables on the intruder in some sudden 
and unexpected manner, but none that seemed 
feasible could be suggested. 

Notwithstanding their brave agreement, it 
was with misgivings and anxiety that the lads 
left the little front portico together and made 
ready for bed. True, their talk and laughter 
were apparently cheery and care-free, and also 
amply loud; but if they so gave one another 
courage, and so made believe they didn’t care 
if the ‘‘ghost” did come, the general e:ffect was 
both wholesome and beneficial, at least. All 
humanity is the same. To think and talk fear 
not only makes but magnifies it; and no less 
surely do brave thoughts and words give cour- 
age and encouragement. 

But no ghost, real or pretended — if there ever 
could be such a thing as a real ghost — made an 
appearance this night at the gray, old house 


248 


THE AVTO B0Y8’ OUTING 


nestled among its trees and ragged shrubbery, 
weeds and grass, its toppling fences and its 
poor, overgrown, abandoned garden behind. 

Some loose shingles rattled in the brisk breeze 
springing up, sometime far in the night, caus- 
ing for a moment quite a thrill. Some workmen, 
from the railroad camp down the river, went 
noisily past at a late hour, homeward bound 
from Middle Eun, and they, too, caused a gen- 
eral awakening; but otherwise the night went 
by without a sound of an alarming nature. 

Nevertheless it was with real pleasure that 
the boys greeted the coming of another day. 
They were early astir to get themselves into 
proper attire for going to church, and if what 
they called the necessity of bathing was only an 
excuse for a plunge in the river this fine, warm 
Sunday morning, it is not for you or me to 
criticise. Who Imows what we would have done 
had we been there! 

Bright Eyes presented the main problem in 
the matter of conventional Sunday dress. He 
had been wearing one of Paul’s old suits, and. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


249 


when not barefooted, shoes and stockings also 
belonging to Panl. Today the best that conld 
be done was a combination of garments really 
more picturesque than becoming. Shoes and 
long black trousers belonging to Billy, too large 
for Little Mystery by two or three sizes, at least, 
were coupled with a blue shirt and white collar 
belonging to Phil — also much too large — and 
a gray flannel coat of Paul’s. 

Poor boy! He might much better have been 
left in the old, every-day suit he had been wear- 
ing, threadbare and faded though it was. Yet 
Phil, principally to blame for it all, certainly 
had none but the best intentions. Maybe he 
should have credit for that. 

Bright Eyes was pretty doubtful as to the 
appearance he made, but if Way had told him 
it was all right, he would have worn anything. 
Then, too, he did feel quite pleased with the 
trousers. He had never worn long ones before. 

Young Mr. Marble, very spruce in a dark suit, 
and shoes polished and shining like the very 
sun itself, met the boys as the Thirty rolled into 


250 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


the grove beside the little white church. He 
made them all quite flustered by introducing 
them to everybody he possibly could, and that 
included a good many people. Being the main- 
stay of the chief grocery of the village, anyone 
not known to him could scarcely be of much 
account anyway. 

But, after all, it was pleasant meeting such 
kind, cheerful people, all of whom were unsel- 
fishly interested, all hoping the outing at the 
old house was a pleasant one, and the like. It 
made the sermon about all the world being one 
great family, and all dependent on one another 
for love and happiness and comforts all the 
more convincing and impressive. 

That Marble was delighted to take his first 
ride in an automobile need hardly be stated. He 
was so happy and pleasant that he made all 
the others even happier and in better spirits 
than they would have been otherwise. Only 
once did he speak unpleasantly of anything. 
When the car passed Jonas Tagg’s house he re- 
marked : ‘ ^ Bon T doubt you ’ve seen your neigh- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


251 


bor, Tagg. ’Bout the nearest thing to a miser 
weVe got around here. There’s a story that 
he beat Mr. Beaman out of his farm. Anything 
to it, Pauir’ 

This somewhat personal question was asked 
in such a friendly, disinterested way no one 
could take offense, Paul Jones least of all. He 
said he didn’t know, but he wouldn’t doubt any- 
thing. 

Later on, after dinner was over. Marble had 
something further to say about Mr. Tagg. The 
dinner, by the way, was a great success, simple 
though it was. There were delicious little chops 
of spring lamb, baked potatoes, green corn and 
sliced tomatoes and bread and butter and coffee 
for the main part, and the watermelon, cooled 
in a bucket of water in the cellar over night, for 
dessert. All hands made short work of the dish 
washing and then, in the shade of the red as- 
trakhan tree, close to the river bank, the six 
were soon very comfortably seated or lying on 
the soft grass. 

Here it was that some reference to the rail- 


252 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


road bridge being built below caused Marble 
to refer to Mr. Tagg again. ^‘The old fellow’s 
rich and going to be a lot richer,” said he. 
^‘Rich, as far as money goes, anyhow, though 
that ain’t very far either, if no one gets any 
good of it, I’m thinking.” 

There was general acquiescence in this senti- 
ment and Spike continued: ‘‘This change 
they’re making in the railroad gave him a whole 
lot of coin, or will give it to him when he can 
give a clear title to the land they’re using. 
Don’t just know where the hitch comes in, but 
anyhow Tagg hasn’t got his money yet and the 
talk is that he and the railroad people will have 
to go into court, or have some kind of lawsuit or 
something, you know, before they’ll be satisfied 
to fork over. He says the land’s his an’ they 
say they don’t doubt it, but there’s a hitch some- 
where an’ its been worrying Tagg a lot, they 
say. ’ ’ 

“Papers in stone post,” whispered Way to 
Jones, who was eagerly listening. The latter 
nodded. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 253 

‘‘Where is the land the railroad wants? Panl 
asked politely. 

“Oh, jnst over here. Part of what your 
grandfather used to farm, I guess, ain’t it?” 
said Marble. “It runs this way from the new 
bridge and they’re going to have a big siding 
there. ’Bout thirty acres is what they want. 
Doc Wealthy said.” 

The temptation to tell their new friend of the 
strange inscription they had deciphered and of 
their search for the stone post it mentioned was 
strong upon the boys, but they had agreed, the 
previous day, to say nothing to anyone about 
these matters. Also had they concluded to keep 
to themselves the experience with the pretended 
ghost. But now when they began to understand 
the reason for Jonas Tagg’s desire to coax or 
drive them away from the Beaman place — 
began to see that he feared they might find 
evidence showing the real ownership of the land 
the railway company wanted, the itching to tell 
Marble what they knew was almost uncontrol- 
lable. 


264 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


Very likely it was just as well that Marble, 
himself, changed the subject of their conversa- 
tion at about this point. Very likely it was just 
as well that the boys made no reference to their 
secret. The safe rule whenever there is any 
question as to the wisdom of talking is to keep 
silence. There was no reason for the boys doing 
otherwise in this instance. But no matter ; Mar- 
ble was now telling of some fine fish taken out 
of the river the previous spring. Also he de- 
scribed some of the best places for fishing at 
this later season of the year. So presently 
papers, stone post, ghosts and all were for the 
time forgotten. 

In all respects Marble developed into a most 
likeable fellow, lank, large-eared, ungainly chap 
though he was. Only the sinking sun persuaded 
the boys to leave their talk and the river bank 
at last. Then came a trip in the Thirty taking 
Spike home to Middle Eun by a roundabout 
way. Altogether it was a truly enjoyable ride 
in the soft air of the summer evening. 

Arrangements to meet Marble and his base 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 255 

ball team early the following afternoon were 
made before good-night was said. It was prac- 
tically settled that Dave was to pitch the game 
for Middle Enn. To be on the gronnd in good 
season for practice was therefore desirable. 

‘‘WeVe simply got to trim ’em! The crowd 
will be the biggest of the year, ’ ’ declared Marble 
with solemn emphasis. Dave promised to do 
his best, and the car moved off. 

By the shortest route the boys ran home. It 
was already dark and except for their gas lamps 
the road would have been difficult to find. And 
certainly no place ever looked darker than the 
old Beaman house as the Thirty turned into 
the drive. 

Alone, any one of the boys might have been 
timid about entering, knowing though they did 
that nothing was there to harm them. Together, 
they had but the most fleeting thoughts of fear 
and the oil lamps of the car were soon lighting 
up the old sitting-room. Billy and Phil hurried 
away to bring fresh milk for a good, old-fash- 
ioned, Sunday evening lunch of bread and milk. 


266 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


Dave put the car away and Paul, with Little 
Mystery’s help, prepared fine, crisp young 
onions and cheese to accompany their repast. 

The visit of Spike Marble and the prospect 
of an exciting ball game had come at a most 
opportune time. These took the boys ’ thoughts 
from less comfortable matters. Tonight the 
.probability of having intruders was scarcely 
more than mentioned. 

They did talk at some length about the papers 
in the stone post. Eagerly they speculated upon 
the possibility that somehow these papers would 
prove Jonas Tagg to be not the rightful owner 
of the land the railway company desired, but 
for which he appeared unwilling or imable to 
show his title. Might it not be, they insisted, 
that Grandfather Beaman had actually owned 
the acres to the south of the old house, after 
all, — the property that, after his death, Mr. 
Tagg had declared he only rented? 

Oh I If those papers could only be found, 
what might they not reveal ? Yet who could say 
that Tagg, himself, had not discovered them 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


257 


long ago ? Or, perhaps, knowing them to be in 
existence, somewhere, he feared to make a 
transfer of the land the railroad would occupy, 
lest discovery later on should convict him of 
swearing falsely. If this were the situation, 
what Tagg would most desire, undoubtedly, 
would be to get his hands upon these papers 
and destroy them. 

^‘Just the same, though,’’ wisely counseled 
Phil Way at last, we ’ll make fools of our- 
selves, sure, if we build any great hope on any- 
thing important coming of this. All we have to 
go on is that Mr. Beaman hid some papers in 
a post. We don’t know what they are or what 
they amount to, and we don’t know where the 
post is, or that we can ever succeed in finding 
it. Maybe we’d better drop it all for now, any- 
how, and get ready to turn in.” 

The agreement to let any pretended ghost ap- 
proach just as near as he would, should such a 
visit be received, had been renewed at supper. 
There was just a bare reference to the subject 
as Phil’s proposal to go to bed was acted upon; 


268 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


and it is not too mnch to say that in twenty 
minutes, at most, not one of the five boys was 
anything but sound asleep. It had been a pleas- 
ant, helpful Sunday, well spent. 

Whether the narrow margin by which the in- 
truder of a couple of nights before escaped dis- 
covery, or even capture, kept him from repeat- 
ing his visit was a question the boys discussed 
next morning. Certain it is he was not near 
the old house during the night; or, if so, he 
took pains that his presence should be unsus- 
pected. In any event, it was too busy a day to 
spend much time speculating upon the subject. 

The morning dip, breakfast and then some 
lively base ball practice occupied the time till 
ten o’clock. Then came the trip in the car to 
Middle Eun. More practice work, especially for 
Dave, who made an instantly favorable impres- 
sion with Marble’s team, was followed by din- 
ner at the village hotel. 

The Wiltonites were on the grounds early, 
also. By two o’clock — the game was called for 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


259 


two-thirty — both teams were in their suits 
and ready. 

The diamond lay in the central portion of the 
fairgrounds, which were at the edge of the vil- 
lage. There were no other seats than the 
‘ ^ bleachers ’ ’ hut these were full. Many people, 
also, were standing. There were probably four 
hundred men and women, boys and girls, in at- 
tendance. It was the largest crowd for a long 
time. Spike Marble said. 

‘‘Play balir’ 

The umpire was Chris Lemly, a college chap 
from Sunfield. A hasty survey of the situation 
had shown him the strong feeling existing. 
From the first there was a ring of decision and 
precision in his tone. He was not the kind to 
tolerate interference. 

Wilton was first at bat. The interest was in- 
tense. 

‘ ‘ Ball one ! Ball two ! ^ ’ 

Dave MacLester was shooting them over fast 
and straight, but a little high. 


260 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


‘‘Strike one!^’ A wide out curve, squarely 
over the plate. 

“Strike two!’’ Another in the same place. 
Dave was settling down. 

Then came another wide out that started 
straight for the plate, but as the batter swung 
himself nearly otf his feet, in a wild effort to 
“kill” it, the ball took a sudden curve onto the 
catcher’s waiting mitt. 

‘ ‘ Strike three I ” 

The batter had missed it by a foot. He was a 
chunky, young Wiltonite named Steller — one 
from whom much had been expected evidently. 
Venomously he dashed his bat to the ground and 
walked sheepishly to the bench. 

Dave MacLester’s Lannington “wrinkles,” 
as Spike Marble gleefully called them, were 
going to prove puzzlers. 

And now the Wilton visitors began their vocal 
efforts, — began and continued them and in- 
creased them. But they could no more confuse 
or unnerve Davie MacLester, cool, calm, col- 
lected young Scotchman that he was, than they 


TEE AUTO BOYB’ OUTINO 


261 


could shake the oaks in Fairgrounds park. 

Wilton ended their half without a run. Only 
one man had reached first and that on a ‘ ^ Texas 
leaguer’’ to right. Without exception his com- 
panions had struck out. 

The exulting yells of Middle Eun were deaf- 
ening and for the moment the demonstration of 
the Wilton sympathizers was suspended. 

‘‘Lannington’s a large part of the show,” 
said a voice at Way’s shoulder, as the chums 
congratulated Dave. Phil turned to find the 
speaker their friend from the postoffice — the 
near-assistant postmaster-general. 

Pretty much, thank you,” he laughed. 

‘‘No, you don’t see what I mean,” said the 
other, with a wave toward the pitcher’s box. 

And there, going through a great series of 
that type of extraordinary preparations usually 
called “grandstand,” was — no one in the world 
but Sam Carew. 

“Play ball!” 

The first Middle Eun man up sent a line drive 
to deep left that a professional would have been 


262 


THE AUTO BOYE’ OUTING 


glad to see, good for three bases and easily 
home a minute later. He trotted across the 
plate with the first run on the next batter’s 
sharp single to right. The Middle Run crowd 
yelled itself hoarse. 

The third man np took his base on balls, 
calmly waiting for four wide ones. 

Poor Sam! He was getting wilder every 
minute. The taunting yells seemed to strike 
upon every nerve in his system. Even a Wilton 
man, a great giant of a fellow, who had brought 
a band-wagon load of young fellows with him, 
had commenced a noisy mutiny. 

^^Punk!” he yelled in a thunder-like voice 
easily heard everywhere, with every ball Carew 
sent up. And again and again, ‘ ‘ Oh, punk ! ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Get the hook ! ’ ’ shouted a chorus of Middle 
Run youngsters zestfully, and the noisy cries 
of derision became general. 

And thus the slaughter — and the word seems 
hardly too strong — continued. In the middle of 
the fourth inning Sam Carew was taken from 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


263 


the box. It might almost be said he was 
dragged from it. 

That he wasn’t mobbed, the big fellow in the 
band-wagon said, was a disgrace to Wilton. 
‘ ^ Great balls of wax ! ” he bellowed in his thun- 
dering way, ‘ ‘ Why, to ’ve heard him tell it, yon ’d 
ha ’ thought he was a Chicago whirlwind ! ’ ’ 

Many people smiled at the rage of the noisy 
fellow, but there were four who smiled at the 
words quoted for another reason. Very well 
did Phil, Billy, Paul and Dave know the cause 
of the whole trouble. Sam’s abominable habit 
of bragging and lying had done it. Taken at 
his own word, that he could pitch a strong game, 
he had not had the courage to admit his short- 
comings nor the strength to resist the appeal to 
his vanity. 

It was too late, of course, for Wilton to make 
headway against Middle Bun’s wild lead. 
Carew was replaced with their regular pitcher, 
who, though he still had a hand bandaged from 
an injury a week before, managed to hold the 
score down to ten to five. 


264 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


Dave’s work was good throughout, but fell a 
little short as his arm wearied toward the last. 

There was a crowd around the automobile 
after the game. A score of strangers shook 
hands with MacLester. Spike Marble intro- 
duced at least as many others. 

Phil had started the engine, ready to move 
off when the crowd and one or two horses show- 
ing signs of nervousness were out of the way. 
Bright Eyes was on the seat beside him, all but 
bubbling over with the excitement of the game 
and the joy of victory. 

‘‘And all lat Wilton man could yell wat ju’t 
‘punk, punk, punk!’ ” he exclaimed gleefully. 
Phil laughed at the youngster’s enthusiasm. 

Sam Carew, unnoticed, was passing the car at 
the same moment. He stopped short. Turning 
violently, he strode up to the front of the 
machine. For a second he glared at the Boy 
really wickedly. 

“Maybe you’ll whistle out of the other side of 
your mouth, one of these days, my Jolly Eoger,” 
he snarled like a spoiled child, and walked away. 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


265 


“Oh, punk!’’ ejaculated Little Mystery, con- 
temptuously. But his merriment vanished in- 
stantly. Trembling, he grasped Phil ’s arm. 

With a savage look which this time included 
both occupants of the car’s front seat, Carew 
walked off before Way could speak. 


CHAPTEE XVII 


TRAPPED 

A number of days passed with no incident of 
special consequence to mar the outing of the 
four boys and the mysterious young person 
whose lot had been so strangely cast with theirs. 

A spring of the Thirty had broken the night 
following the ball game, but considering the 
load — four in front and six in the tonneau — 
that wasn’t very surprising. Luckily, too, a sat- 
isfactory repair was obtained in the village. 

Only one possible indication that the pre- 
tended ghost might be expected to pay a second 
visit to the old house had been noticed. This 
was the tramp of footsteps on the back porch 
one evening. The boys were seated on the front 
door-steps. Twice they heard the sounds, but 
when they went to look no one was there. They 
suspected Jonas Tagg, himself, this time. The 
heavy, shuffling noise suggested his rubber boots 
266 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


267 


as their source, but there was no way of con- 
firming the supposition. 

At different times the search for the stone 
post, so briefly mentioned in the inscription on 
the ancient wooden leg, had been vigorously 
carried forward. It was without success. Paul 
had written nothing home regarding the de- 
ciphering of Grandfather Beaman’s message, 
but now he had about concluded to do so. 

All hoped his sister, Mrs. Wilby, would be 
able to give some information on the subject. 
The one objection to writing was the possibility 
of causing needless excitement ; for, if the post 
could not be located, the fact that those crude 
figures had been interpreted, at last, would be 
of little importance. 

But notwithstanding the calm which had fol- 
lowed the exciting incidents of the past week, 
the days were very fully occupied. Who would 
expect them to be anything but busy days ? Full 
to the brim with their good times, enjoying to 
the utmost the out-door air and the activities 


268 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


that made bed a welcome word at night, surely 
the Anto Boys had earned their pleasure. 

As for Little Mystery, he shared in the fun 
with the others. Yet, as time went on, he seemed 
more and more frequently to lapse into his 
moods of sober reflection and melancholy. He 
had been more than frightened by Sam Carew’s 
threatening language. He was worried. This 
showed plainly when one day, Paul, alluding to 
the incident, jokingly said, ‘‘You’re going to 
whistle the other way, some day, my Jolly 
Eoger.” For the remainder of the afternoon 
the youngster was silent and sad. 

Not a word concerning his past history had 
the Boy revealed. His daily life, his language, 
his little refinements, — such as the daily use of 
that toothbrush Phil had found, for instance, — 
bore sufficient evidence that he had come from 
some good environment, sometime. But when? 
And where? And why? 

It was strange that no word had yet been re- 
ceived in answer to the inquiry to Washington 
regarding Ninth and One-Half street. Every 


THE AUTO BOY&’ OUTING 


269 


day the chums looked eagerly among the letters 
or other mail they received. Every day they 
were disappointed. 

Nearly all of a week had slipped away. It 
was late Saturday afternoon when, on returning 
from Middle Eun in the car, the hoys saw Mr. 
Fifer leaning comfortably upon his front yard 
fence. His day’s work was done and his early 
supper over. A hard-working farmer was Mr. 
Fifer and the lads saw little of him. Tonight 
he was at leisure and he smilingly accepted an 
invitation given by the boys to take a ride in the 
machine. 

Away up the road, past the Tagg place a mile 
or more, they went. Coming hack the same way, 
they persuaded Mr. Fifer to stop at the old 
house long enough to see if he could not recollect 
where he had seen the cannon-shaped stone post 
Grandfather Beaman made. They were curious 
to have si look at it, tlie hoys had told him, 
which certainly was the truth. Mr. Fifer was 
willing to. he accommodating, yet he couldn’t re- 
member just when or where he had noticed the 


270 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


post last, and the more he tried, the less he 
appeared to succeed. 

Taking this friendly neighbor home in the 
car, the boys were surprised, upon returning, to 
find Mr. Tagg just coming up from the opposite 
direction. He wanted to know how much longer 
they intended staying. He desired, also, to 
be informed what Mr. Fifer had been doing at 
the old house, though he tried to ask this ques- 
tion in an indirect and quite casual sort of way. 

This visit from Mr. Tagg gave the boys their 
first certain suspicion that he watched their 
movements daily. However, they answered all 
his questions in a civil way. If they sought to 
indicate by their manner that they were not 
aware of the worry they were plainly causing 
him, such action was perhaps no more than the 
old fellow deserved. 

Once again Mr. Tagg told the boys that the 
Beaman house was an unsafe place to stay. 
Once again he told them of his maple sugar 
camp, the sugar house itself, dry and clean, and 
plenty of blackberries in the woods all about. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


271 


He said he would be glad to have them to accept 
his offer, and that no strange noises would ever 
disturb anyone at night down among his maples. 

It was surely a tempation to say to Mr. Tagg 
that such mere trifles as footsteps on the cellar 
stairs were not very alarming; or that make- 
believe ghosts sometimes departed a great deal 
faster than they came. Wisely, however, as will 
soon be apparent, no word was spoken that 
would show the disagreeable neighbor how little 
he accomplished in the deception he tried to 
carry on. 

When he took his departure it was with a 
solemn shaking of his head and a savage frown. 
Plainly he would have relished nothing more 
than to have laid hands on the boys and in no 
very gentle manner. Perhaps he would have 
tried it had he dared. 

" The next day, Sunday, the boys again went 
to church. This time, however, Little Mystery 
had a brand new suit to wear. What matter if 
it did cost only two dollars and sixteen cents? 
It was whole and clean. In fit it was fairly good 


272 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


and certainly it was becoming. And he was 
such a bright, attractive chap, anyway. No 
wonder people always looked the second time 
after first seeing him. 

Spike Marble had asked all five of the boys to 
his home for Sunday dinner. It was very pleas^ 
ant to sit at a snowy- white table once more; 
very pleasant to partake of chicken pie and 
home fixings, delicious at any time, but hardly 
possible in camp life. Billy Worth said it was 
decidedly agreeable, for a change, too, to eat a 
dinner which someone else had prepared. 

Mrs. Marble was quite as well pleased with 
the boys as were they with her. Mr. Marble, 
also, made himself agreeable and their tail son 
was even more than usually pleasant. In all re- 
spects the time passed pleasantly. 

Going home in good season, the lads met on 
the road Sam Carew and his friend Kalie, with 
whom he was staying. They were midway 
between the village and the Beaman place. Ap- 
parently they were returning from a walk and 
nothing further was thought of the circum- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


273 


stance at the time; but when Billy and Pan! 
went to the Fifer place for milk and Mrs. Fifer 
said two boys had for some time loitered near 
the old farmhouse, and had thrown stones at 
the house and barn, it was easy to guess who 
they were. 

"What did Sam Carew mean by such tactics? 
Had he and Kalie just chanced to walk in that 
direction? Had they just vented their spite, 
on an impulse of the moment, by throwing 
stones, or had they deliberately set out to make 
trouble ? 

‘‘Let’s not bother about it at all,” Phil Way 
counseled. “If Sam means mischief we’ll find 
it out in plenty of time. He hasn’t done much 
harm, so far, except to himself.” 

This view of the matter appeared the sensible 
one. Presently the subject was dropped, but 
not until after considerable speculation on the 
part of Paul and Dave as to whether Carew 
might not have been on a visit to Jonas Tagg. 
Their only reason for connecting him with that 
individual was their dislike of both. Yet, as 


274 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Billy suggested, perhaps the most remarkable 
part of this theory lay in the fact that Paul and 
Dave for once agreed perfectly, though no one 
agreed with them. 

It was not yet sundown when the usual Sun- 
day evening lunch was over. Phil was writing 
letters and Billy and the Boy lay under a maple 
reading. Dave and Paul, looking in the road- 
way, found in the dust footprints of Carew and 
his friend. Calling to Worth that they were 
going to see if these two had been at Tagg’s 
place, they began to trace the tracks. Their 
efforts were attended by little success. Still 
they wandered farther and farther along the 
road. 

‘‘May as well give it up,’’ said Paul. 

“Let’s go ’cross lots and see the new rail- 
road,” Dave answered, and in another minute 
the two were over the roadside fence, picking 
their way through the tall corn in the direction 
of the river. 

The scientific engineering terms Dave could 
almost, but not quite, remember as he tried to 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 276 

explain the construction of a great railroad 
bridge, are at this time immaterial. Neither 
does it matter that Jones concluded engineering 
would be a pretty good profession to take up, 
and that it probably paid pretty handsomely. 

The important facts, just now, are that the 
two boys started homeward; that they walked 
through the tall corn; that they were going 
along silently and quietly in the dusk of twilight 
and that they suddenly became aware of the 
presence of a third person in the cornfield and 
at no great distance from them. 

Was it an inborn instinct of primal man, long 
accustomed to hunting and being hunted, that 
prompted the two boys instantly to stoop low 
and watch and listen ? This, at any rate, is what 
they did do. Their observations were interest- 
ing. 

A dark figure, showing but imperfectly, yet 
fairly recognizable, in the dusk, was dragging 
a light ladder through the corn. Under his arm 
was a bundle, — something white. The figure 
was that of a stockily built young man of twen- 


276 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


ty-one or twenty-two years, dressed in dark coat 
and trousers and a soft shirt of a lighter hue. 
He wore shoes but no hat. 

When the figure had moved forward some 
distance the two boys moved forward also. 
Stealthily as Indians they kept the man with 
the ladder within hearing all the time and within 
view a part of the time. Steadily he advanced 
and as he was headed directly toward the 
orchard, at the foot of the overgrown garden, 
the natural inference was that he meant to help 
himself to apples. Perhaps the white bundle 
under his arm was a sack to put them in. 

If these were the intentions of the young man, 
he at least was in no hurry; for, when only a 
row or two of corn separated him from the rail 
fence beyond which the orchard lay, he put his 
burden down* and, after peering intently toward 
the old farmhouse for a minute or two, from the 
very edge of the cornfield he returned and sat 
himself down upon the ladder with the white 
bundle for a cushion. 

For probably ten minutes Dave and Paul 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


277 


watched as the mysterious individual thus sat, 
apparently awaiting something — the deeper 
darkness, perhaps. They scarcely dared to 
whisper, scarcely dared to breathe. At last 
Jones crept softly away, beckoning Dave to fol- 
low. 

‘‘That fellow’s up to something. WeVe got 
to let the others know where we are, then come 
hack and watch him,” he said when they were 
well beyond being heard. 

“S’pose so. It’s a wonder Phil hasn’t been 
yelling for us before now, dark as it is,” was 
the answer. “If anything like that happened, 
likely ’twould scare the man away right off. ’ ’ 

It was no trouble for Paul and Dave to agree 
when alone together. They were of one mind, 
at once, in this instance. In a very little time 
they had stolen quietly up to the public road. 
Rapidly and quietly, also, they approached home 
along that thoroughfare. 

“I don’t know about that,” said Phil Way 
when, breathlessly, Paul had told of the discov- 
ery, Dave adding: “He’s after the apples. 


278 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Maybe he’s some hand from the railroad camp.” 

‘ ^ I may be clear wrong bnt that white bundle 
— it makes me think he ’s going to play ghost ! ’ ’ 
declared Way. 

‘‘Whew! I never thought of that!” cried 
MacLester in an excited undertone. ‘ ‘ And now 
it makes me think! I believe, — I honestly be- 
lieve, fellows, he’s the same man I saw skip out 
of the cellar that night!” 

That any move to keep eyes on the thief or 
would-be ghost, or whatever he was, must be 
made quickly was apparent. Immediately it was 
agreed that Dave and Paul should return to the 
cornfield and continue their observations. Their 
friends, meanwhile, should remain at the house, 
have the lamps lighted as usual, and in all ways 
bear themselves as if neither knowing nor think- 
ing of anything out of the ordinary. In this 
manner must they await further information. 

“And don’t keep us waiting a bit longer than 
you have to, either,” admonished Billy, as the 
two boys slipped softly out of the front door. 

“We’ll be listening and can hear you yell, if 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


279 


anything happens/’ Phil called after them; but 
already the darkness had closed in on the two. 
Only a half audible, ‘^You bet,” came out of 
the shadows. 

It was with some difficulty that Dave and Paul 
returned to the spot where the mysterious man 
was last seen by them. Indeed, they might 
have been unable to come upon him without be- 
traying themselves but for the white bundle. 
The darkness was deeper now, among the corn, 
especially. 

As has been indicated, it was the white bundle 
that at last caught Dave’s eye. Even when they 
had crept quite close, however, the owner of that 
piece of baggage was not to be seen. Where 
had he gone? 

Ah ! there he was ! Some movement he made 
revealed his whereabouts as he leaned on the 
fence just beyond the edge of the corn. His face 
was turned toward the house, only a few hun- 
dred feet away, as if he watched it closely. Now 
and again he shifted his position, but for the 
most part he was as motionless as he was silent. 


280 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Thus the minutes passed. An hour dragged 
by. The watchers in the cornfield grew weary 
and impatient, and even more so and anxious, 
too, were those who tried to talk in ordinary 
tones and conduct themselves in an entirely 
ordinary manner in the exceeding quiet of the 
old house. 

‘‘Wish we had him hitched to one of those 
derricks over at the new bridge, and steam up, 
to work it!’’ growled Paul in a whisper of im- 
patience and disgust. “Maybe he wouldn’t 
move some, then I ’ ’ 

Had the fellow heard? His sudden movement 
toward the cornfield and his listening attitude 
seemed to say so. But, no, he suspected nothing. 
If any sound had reached him, he seemed to at - 
tribute it to the murmur of the breeze among 
the gently waving blades, for he advanced quite 
confidently to his bundle and his ladder. 

As has been stated, the ladder, though of good 
length, was light. The young man, being strong, 
hung it over his shoulder in such a way that 
it balanced nicely. Then with his white sack 


TEE ^AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 281 

or sheet, — whatever the bundle was, — in his free 
hand, he moved cautiously forward in the 
shadow of the corn, and in the direction of the 
house. Following at a safe distance, Dave and 
Paul observed the fellow ^s every move. He ap- 
peared entirely familiar with his surroundings, 
and little needed to watch his footsteps for he 
kept his eyes always on the dwelling. Only 
twice or thrice did he pause, as if suspicious 
that his course was not clear. Once, also, he 
looked back. Each time, however, he seemed 
satisfied and continued on as before. So did he 
soon come to the little group of pear trees at 
the garden corner. In their shadow he slowly 
climbed the fence. 

Always close behind came the two boys. They 
were not ten yards distant from the man when 
they crept under, rather than over, the fence 
and for a few seconds lay concealed in the grass. 
Moving forward, then, to the shelter of the row 
of currant bushes, they saw the strange fellow 
draw near the house. 

Carefully the ladder was raised to the window 


282 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


of the low attic over the kitchen and the wood- 
shed. Going to peep aronnd one corner, then 
another, toward the front of the dwelling, the 
yonng man spent perhaps five minutes. Then 
he returned and quickly mounted his ladder and 
raised the window. With the white bundle still 
under his arm he crept inside. 

‘‘He’s the ‘ghost’ as sure as shootin’!” 
gasped Dave, astonished and frightened. 

“We’ve got him! We^ve got him.U^ was the 
eager, excited answer. “Let’s take the ladder 
down!” 

Oh, Paul, what a fine suggestion was that! 
And in another three minutes the thing was 
done. 

With what caution they could, in their excite- 
ment, the two lads hastened around the house 
and entered the old sitting-room. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


WHAT THE MAN IN THE ATTIC TOLD 

Darkness in the old farmhonse, save for the 
dim light of one automobile lamp, turned low. 
Darkness in the big yard in front, in the for- 
saken garden and all out-doors. The hour 
grows late. For a long time all has been quiet. 

The creaking of a board breaks upon the 
silence. The sound of feet in solemn, measured 
tread comes suddenly from the attic. 

^^Now he^s going to begin!’’ 

It is Paul Jones speaking, his voice a whisper. 
Instantly he puts his hands to his mouth to 
drown his merriment. 

Again that slow and measured tread in the 
attic, and the loud rattle of a loose board. 

Goodness, he’s likely to go through the 
plaster into the kitchen!” giggles Billy Worth, 
suppressing not his merriment, but the noise 
thereof, as best he can. 


283 


284 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


^‘We’re supposed to be just waking up now, 
and scared forty different ways,’’ was Phil’s 
comment. 

Again came the footfalls in the low, garret 
room above, and this time a very audible groan. 
It sounded quite frightful enough, but it fright- 
ened no one, notwithstanding. Or if it did, the 
evidence thereof was most peculiar. 

Billy Worth and Paul lay on a blanket, shak- 
ing with internal laughter. Phil and the Boy 
were on their own bed, also abandoning them- 
selves to mirth of every description possible 
without noise. Quite unable to restrain himself. 
Bright Eyes’ convulsive giggles every few 
seconds broke forth in low soimds like water 
gurgling from a jug. Dave lay on the bed on 
the floor he and Billy usually occupied, a 
large part of a pillow stuffed in his mouth, his 
body wriggling, his delight all but uncontrol- 
lable. 

For half an hour this extraordinary perform- 
ance continued. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


286 


^‘Gosh, he’s cornin’ downstairs!” whispered 
Paul. 

The footsteps now were certainly on the stair- 
way. 

^ ‘It ’s all right 1 The stair door’s bolted on this 
side ! I saw to that,” Worth answered. 

Slowly and more slowly the sounds upon the 
stairs advanced. The measured, heavy tread 
was surely intended to be ghostly. It was not 
hard to picture the white-robed figure, grop- 
ing its way (in a very un-spirit-like fashion) 
through the darkness — a figure whose eyes, un- 
fortunately, could not penetrate the thick, oak 
door — could not see how vastly worse than 
wasted were the ghost-like noises for which it 
was responsible. 

A rapping, gentle at first, then more severe, 
upon the attic door, was followed by a really 
terrible moaning sound. It was too much. Paul 
Jones’ laughter escaped restraint entirely. He 
laughed loudly and he laughed long. The very 
contagion of his unsuppressed merriment let 


286 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


loose the mirth of the other boys and the large 
room rang with it all. 

The effect npon the white-robed fignre in the 
attic stairway must have been both surprising 
and painful. That he was discovered, the pre- 
tended ghost no doubt quickly guessed ; but that 
he had been discovered long ago, and that there 
was no ladder awaiting him at the window, he 
had yet to learn. In chagrin and fear he made 
all haste he could up the dark stairs. 

Now Paul Jones’ gleeful hut noisy outburst 
had not been according to program at all. The 
plan had been to let the would-be ghost perform 
all the antics of a so-called ghostly character 
within his knowledge or imagination. He would 
get tired at last, undoubtedly. Being then ready 
to descend his ladder, he would find out some- 
thing. 

The change of program made necessary by 
the certain hint given the person in the attic 
that his efforts were lost, called for prompt 
action. Eeassuring themselves that the door 
into the stairway was securely bolted, the boys 


TJETE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


287 


rushed out to observe the interesting proceed- 
ings they had good reason to believe would soon 
take place at the garret window. 

They were in no sense disappointed. A meas- 
ure of delight and exultation known to no other 
kind of creature was theirs. For scarcely had 
they reached the rear of the woodshed when, 
keeping as quiet as they reasonably could, they 
heard the self -constituted ghost shuffling toward 
the window. Warily he drew near. He put out 
his arm and felt about in the darkness for the 
ladder. Evidently he was considerably puzzled. 
Not finding what he sought at one side, his hand 
next went groping about at the other. His 
movements were both quick and confused now. 
He was getting considerably excited. 

Presently the hand and arm were withdrawn 
from the window and two seconds later a light 
appeared. The fellow had struck a match. 
Holding it before him, he leaned far out, as if 
to see whether his ladder had fallen to the 
ground. At the same moment a shout of mirth 
and laughter greeted him. The surprise and 


288 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


consternation shown on his face, in the light of 
the match he held, were surely interesting. It is 
doubtful if Indians ever gave vent to a more 
zestful yell of victory than that which his utter 
amazement now produced. 

But no answer came from the vanquished 
ghost.’’ Perhaps that personage was doing 
some pretty lively thinking. There was every 
reason to suppose so, as the hoys watched and 
waited, hut heard or saw nothing more of him. 

As a matter of fact, the young man in the at- 
tic was making his way rapidly and quietly to 
the stairway. He would escape down the steps 
and out through the house, before his intentions 
were suspected, he thought. 

What must have been the fellow’s chagrin to 
reach the door, plunge violently against it in his 
haste, find it locked and again hear the scream- 
ing laughter that followed. He had been badly 
mistaken in supposing that his plan would not 
be suspected. 

‘^Open the door, now, you young mutton 
heads 1” The demand came sharp and angry. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


289 


The laughter ceased, but the captive ghost 
really should have known better, by this time, 
than to have tried to frighten the captors by 
any such method. In substance Phil Way 
promptly told him so. Paul Jones added that 
it was time to go to bed, and if the fellow would 
be quiet, maybe he would be let out in the morn- 
ing. 

So for some time the threats and banter 
were kept up in lively exchange. By degrees, 
however, the prisoner ^^got some sense’’ — at 
least that was what Paul called it. He was will- 
ing to make any kind of treaty and on any kind 
of terms. 

‘‘We’ll let you out,” said Phil, “and let you 
go back to Mr. Tagg before he finds out what 
a monkey you’ve made of yourself; but you 
have first got to tell us who you are and why 
you came here and a few other things we want 
to know.” 

While the boys had all along suspected that 
Mr. Tagg was at the bottom of the attempts to 
frighten them, they had had no positive proof. 


290 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


PhiPs reference to that old fellow, and his cer- 
tain tone, mnst have convinced the prisoner, 
however, that his captors knew that Tagg had 
sent him. He assented to the terms offered; 
would tell anything, he said, if the boys would 
but promise not to tell Mr. Tagg. 

‘^All right then. We won’t tell him unless we 
have to for our own protection or other import- 
ant reason, ’ ’ Phil agreed. 

^‘And if you try to lie to us, the bargain’s od^ 
and you stay cooped up till we get good and 
ready to let you out, you see,” Billy Worth put 
in. 

^H’ll give you everything straight. I wouldn’t 
lie to anybody,” protested the captive ghost, 
impatiently. But considering that he undoubt- 
edly had in mind, at that moment, the lying he 
would do when he reported to Mr. Tagg, his 
statement was certainly subject to a large dis- 
count. 

‘ ‘ Go ahead ! Tell us all about this ghost busi- 
ness, first, ’ ’ commanded Phil. 

The prisoner lost no time. That he was in a 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


291 


great hurry to get away was, indeed, very ap- 
parent. His name was Kalie, he said, and he 
was employed by Mr. Tagg for the summer. 
The latter claimed to be afraid the boys staying 
in the old house might set that or other build- 
ings on fire. At any rate he desired that they 
leave. He had given Kalie a dollar for play- 
ing ghost in the cellar, several nights earlier. 
MTien he found that that had not frightened the 
visitors, he contrived the plan of having a ghost 
in the attic. Again he sent Kalie, offering him 
another dollar. The latter, who had been in the 
vacant house and knew its arrangement, was 
willing to earn the money. 

‘‘Oh, well, Tagg has some other reason for 
wanting to scare us off, ’ ’ asserted Dave, in posi- 
tive tones. “What is itV^ 

“Honest, I donT know,” came the voice 
through the door. ‘ ‘ He acts as if he owned the 
Beaman place, that’s all. Some folks thought 
maybe he did, afore you chaps come.” 

“How’s that?” inquired Phil. 

“Now mind, you promised not to tell,” the 


292 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


prisoner replied, getting more and more impa- 
tient and protesting, ^‘and what I’m going to 
say wonld just about get me killed if he knew 
it. Tagg’s been helping himself to things 
around this place. He carried off mor’n half 
the garden fence to fix his own, and he got a 
fork and a hoe out of the barn. He comes down 
here frequent an’ looks all around for things. 
There was half a cord o ’ stove wood in the shed 
an’ he took that.” 

‘^Go on. What else?” from Phil. 

‘‘Honest, I don’t know ” 

“Oh, speak up, in there!” called Paul Jones, 
imperiously. “Talk louder!” 

“Plow in thunder can I? Pretty near suffo- 
cated in this hole!” testily came the answer. 
The late “ghost” seemed to be getting irri- 
tated. 

“Paul, you be quiet,” Captain Phil com- 
manded. ‘ ‘ Now, now, go on, brother ; what else 
did Tagg get?” 

“He got a whet-stone out of the tool shed — 
and, yes, I remember now, he got a big stone 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


293 


hitching post, too. Honest Injun, I don’t know 
anything more.” 

If the door had not prevented, Mr. Tagg’s 
young man might have been quite surprised to 
see the interested looks exchanged at the men- 
tion of a stone hitching post. 

‘‘Oh, he got a fork and a hoe, and a whet- 
stone and a hitching post, did he ? What became 
of themT’ 

Phil was after information very earnestly 
now — so earnestly he only feared his voice 
might betray his anxiety. 

“Took ’em home with him,” the young man 
answered, again showing decided impatience. 
Then in a more conciliating tone: “The fork 
and hoe was both about done for, but he’s got 
’em in his corn-crib. The post was made to look 
like a cannon and was all right to put in front 
of a house. But it had never been used till Tagg 
set it up there by his gate. None o ’ the things 
was worth much. He got apples here, too, but 
they was goin’ to waste. Now, hang it, that’s 
all ! And don’t you ever squeal on me or — I’ve 


294 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


done my part ! Now let me out of this hole ! ’ ’ 

‘‘What are you going to tell Mr. Tagg about 
what’s happened?” inquired Phil. 

“I — don’t know.” 

“You tell him that you didn’t scare us very 
much, will you? We don’t care what else, if 
you’ll let him know that.” 

“Yes, I’ll tell him it was no go. I’ll tell 
him to let you stay here; that you’re all right, 
and won’t hurt a thing.” 

This answer being satisfactory, and Phil fear- 
ing to make any closer inquiry about the stone 
post, much as he wished to do so, the door was 
opened. 

With a decidedly sheepish look the young man 
stepped blinkingly into the light of the auto 
lamp. His captors grinned good-naturedly. 

“How do you do?” said Paul Jones. 

“How did ye happen to get wise?” the fellow 
asked with a rather sickly grin in response. ‘ ‘ I 
was afraid you might find that ladder.” 

“You a brother of the Kalie in Middle Run, 
a chap named Carew is visiting? ’ ’ This inquiry 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 295 

from Billy gave tlie unhappy failure in the 
ghost business a sudden thought. 

‘‘Blame those two little rummies!’’ he ex- 
claimed, angrily, ‘ ‘ they told you ! They told you 
this afternoon! If I don’t — ” 

“Don’t get excited. Perhaps they didn’t tell 
us anything. You wouldn’t believe it even if 
we told you they didn’t, I suppose; but I’ll say 
this : They did not tell us a word, if it’s Carew 
and the other Kalie that you mean.” Phil’s 
voice rang true, but, as he foresaw, he was not 
believed. 

“Well, I’ll — But never mind! Where ’d you 
put that ladder? I’ve got to lug it back.” 

Dave told the young man where his property 
would be found. He gathered up the sheet 
which lay at the foot of the attic stairs and with, 
“Don’t you blab to Tagg! You promised me 
fair,” he hurried away. 

The boys strolled after him to see if he found 
his ladder readily, and heard him mumbling. It 
was possible he was speaking to himself regard- 
ing his younger brother and Mr. Samuel Carew. 


296 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


At any rate the few words the hoys caught led 
them so to believe, and his expressions were not 
exceedingly complimentary. 

With his ladder on his shonlder the elder of 
the Kalie brothers soon turned himself in the 
direction of the residence of Jonas Tagg; which 
pleasant individual he informed, within the next 
half hour, that his mission had been an astonish- 
ing success and that the Auto Boys were ‘ ‘ sim- 
ply scared stitf.’’ 

Whereupon Mr. Tagg said: ^‘U-h-h-m! I’ll 
give ye the dollar when the lambs is sold next 
month. Been waitin’ for you more’n half the 
night ! ’Twon ’t hurt you none to do some wait- 
in ’ fer yer money!” 

Although the auto clock presented by Duck^ 
Neely, which was the official timepiece of the 
party, marked the hour of midnight, sleep was 
little thought of by the five boys. 

‘‘The time to act is this very night,” de- 
clared Phil, with earnest confidence. “If Tagg 
has been sitting up to hear what Kalie did — or, 
most likely, what he didn’t do, — they’ll all be in 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


297 


bed and asleep pretty shortly. If we’re going 
to have a look into that post at all, then, it might 
as well be right away.” 

As this declaration followed quite a lengthy 
discussion of the information gained by the 
night’s adventure, there was little to do but ac- 
cept or reject the proposal. Quite promptly, 
therefore, it was accepted and the plan in detail, 
within a short time, completed. 

As a means of rapid traveling the Thirty, 
minus lamps or lights of any description, should 
be run up as near to the Tagg residence as prac- 
ticable without being heard, then turned around 
to head homeward. Leaving one in charge, and 
the engine running but completely muffled, the 
others would slip up to the post and carefully 
dig it out of the ground. They would find, they 
believed, some plug, possibly of wood, in the 
bottom end, concealing the hiding place of 
Grandfather Beaman’s papers. 

If this obstruction could be at once removed, 
or if by any means the papers could be obtained 
immediately, the post would be returned to 


298 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


place and no one would be the wiser if the earth 
were carefully packed down about it. Other- 
wise, by means of a long rope hitched to the car, 
the post must be dragged to the Beaman place 
to be broken open. 

^ ‘ I tell you, fellows, this thing would never do 
if the post belonged to Mr. Tagg to begin with, ’ ’ 
reasoned Phil Way. ‘‘But it doesn’t and never 
did.” 

To this there was general assent. Perhaps 
Phil and the others as well were really speaking 
for the sake of the salve so applied to their own 
consciences. Undoubtedly they realized that 
their plan was open to criticism. 

True, the post was not Mr. Tagg’s property, 
but it would have been much better in every way 
had the boys consulted older heads than their 
own at this juncture instead of later. 


CHAPTEE XIX 


WHAT THE STONE POST CONTAINED 

‘^One tiling sure, it isn’t Sunday any more 
but Monday morning, even if it is dark as 
Egypt, ’ ’ observed Phil, as noiselessly the Thirty 
rolled out of the drive. ‘‘Just what time was 
it when we started, Billy?” 

Perhaps Way’s conscience was still a bit un- 
easy. At any rate, he and all were better 
pleased that they were not undertaking this ex- 
pedition on a Sunday night. They were glad 
to hear Worth answer that, if in Lannington, 
they would hear the town clock strike one in less 
than five minutes. 

Where a lane joined the main thoroughfare a 
favorable place for turning the car offered, and, 
having been headed toward the Beaman house, 
the machine was left standing well to one side 
in the dense shadows of a clump of oaks. 

By drawing cuts it had been decided, before 

299 


300 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


leaving home, who should remain in the car. 
The place had fallen to Dave, and Bright Eyes 
remained with him — not because he preferred, 
but because Phil thought he better do so. Like 
a little major he swallowed his disappointment. 
Indeed, grumbling and complaining seemed to 
be things of which this remarkable youngster 
had no knowledge. Or was it because he was 
too manly, young as he was, to practice them'F 

With picks and spade, Phil, Billy and Paul 
hurried forward. The late moon was just ris- 
ing above the eastern trees and hills, but the 
skies were cloudy and the pitch darkness would 
be but little relieved. 

Their eyes being now well accustomed to the 
night, however, the three boys could distinguish 
objects about them readily. With but little dif- 
ficulty they located and crept to the tall hitching 
post of artificial stone. 

^‘It’s the cannon-shaped post, all right! Feel 
how round it is, and how it tapers ! ’ ’ Phil whis- 
pered. 

Yes, there could be no doubt that this was the 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


301 


post Grandfather Beaman had made and of 
which Mr. Fifer had spoken. Was it the one to 
which the inscription on the wooden leg of the 
old soldier made reference! That was the 
question — a question that would be answered in 
some way soon. The earth was yielding to the 
pick and spade rapidly and almost noiselessly. 

It was exciting, nerve-trying, hard work 
nevertheless. 

The post stood under an old pine tree near 
the front gate of the Tagg dooryard, — or where 
the gate had been at one time. The house, 
standing near the road, was scarcely more than 
sixty feet away. Little wonder that every 
scraping twig, every rustling of the branches 
above, every rooster’s crow, sounded loud; 
sounded like the opening of a door; sounded 
exactly like the raising of a window; sounded 
so much like someone creeping up in the 
darkness that the temptation to quit and 
run, — the impulse to give way to utter panic 
and wildly flee must be resisted every quarter 
minute. 


302 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


More and more the heavy post leaned from 
its perpendicular. At last it was quite loose. 
A great pull, a strong pull and a pull all to- 
gether would lift it out of the ground. 

“Now!” 

The tug of the six strong arms united in one 
great effort at the whispered command. Up 
came the post, hut too heavy to he held, down it 
went with a thud. The heap of freshly excava- 
ted earth broke the noise of its fall, hut the rat- 
tle of some dry branches, at the same moment, 
all hut sent the three hoys flying. Fortunately 
they stood their ground. 

“Can’t make out any hole in the bottom,” 
said Paul Jones, under his breath. “Will have 
to hitch the car onto it.” 

“Yes, Phil, let’s do it,” urged Billy, for now 
a dog was harking somewhere far off in the 
darkness. The sound was a half mile away at 
the very least, hut who could tell what had 
started the canine up? 

“All right, come on,” Way answered, glad of 
the relief from the nerve-breaking strain. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


803 


We ’ll hitch the rope long as we can,” Paul 
suggested as the car was hacked slowly toward 
the Tagg residence. 

‘^Huh! There’s only twenty feet of it!” 
growled Billy. ‘ ‘ Wish there were a thousand ! ’ ’ 

Oh ! What a racket the car seemed to make ! 
Some horses in the field opposite the Tagg 
dwelling were getting inquisitive, too. It was 
certainly a trying moment ! 

The rope had been fastened to the machine, 
and a running noose made in its other end while 
still the car was at an ample distance from the 
house. It was but the work of a few seconds, 
now, to slip the loop over the post and draw it 
tight. 

Gently the car' moved off. The rope pulled 
taut, the old stone post began to move. Grand- 
father Beaman’s papers would be found now, 
or they would probably never be found at all. 

‘^You can’t tell which,” said Phil. 

‘^No, I know you can’t, hut — ” said Paul, 
hopefully, yet leaving the sentence unfinished 
They were half way home with their booty. 


304 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 

‘‘If we had only filled that hole np, might be 
the post wouldn^t be missed for quite a while,” 
mused Billy Worth. 

“YouVe a head on you, Billy. The very 
thing!” Phil exclaimed. “Come on. You and I 
will go back.” 

The thing was done. The spot where the post 
had stood was still well marked, of course, but 
with fallen pine needles scattered over the 
fresh earth, it might not be very noticeable, 
after all. 

“And besides, the post isn’t Tagg’s any- 
way,” reiterated Phil for the twentieth time. 

“He’ll see the trail where it dragged, any- 
how. He’ll be after us, as sure as shootin’, 
Phil,” Worth declared. 

There was good reason to suppose that Billy 
was right. Certainly the deep impression where 
the heavy object was drawn along the dusty 
road could be easily seen and easily followed 
the moment daylight came. 

However, good fortune for which the lads 
had not even hoped was to be theirs. The 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


305 


clouds liad rolled up strong from the southwest. 
Before Phil and Billy had reached their friends 
again it was gently raining. 

‘^We pulled over to one side,’’ said Dave, 
explaining the reason of the car being almost 
in the ditch. ‘‘The blessed post rolled clear 
into the gutter, but I guess it will pull out all 
right.” But MacLester’s guess was all wrong. 
With the starting of the machine the heavy 
piece of crude cement work was thrown against 
the corner of a large stone projecting from the 
earth. Being already weakened, it broke 
squarely in two. 

The car was stopped and an inspection made. 

“By Jimminy!” came Paul Jones’ excited 
undertones, out of the darkness, “the old thing 
is hollow f at any rate!” 

“Where’s the pick? Let’s break it further, 
right here I ’ ’ called Phil quietly, but enthusias- 
tically. 

A few sharp blows completed the work the 
projecting stone had started. A sharp rattle 
of tin among the fragments was followed by 


306 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


PauPs joyous cry: ‘‘WeVe got it, fellows, 
we Ve got it ! It a long, round tin box. Feels 
like one of those old tea cannisters, but longer,” 
he exclaimed exultingly, the prize in his 
hands. 

Let’s see!” ‘‘Let’s see!” and a great many 
other expressions of the most excited and es- 
tatic description instantly followed. 

Perhaps a score, or maybe more, of exclama- 
tion points would tell about it all better than 
words themselves, as the five boys huddled to- 
gether, inspecting as well as the darkness per- 
mitted the long-concealed treasure of the hollow 
post. 

As Paul had instantly stated the discovery 
was in the form of a long, round tin box. It 
was a simple affair with such a lid as any tin 
box or can might have. Inside were papers. 
Their nature or importance could not, of course, 
be determined. But those words, “Papers in 
stone post,” must certainly mean something of 
some consequence. Also, why should Grand- 
father Beaman or anybody wish to conceal 


TEE AUTO BOYB^ OUTING 


307 


documents of no particular significance or 
value ? 

Ginger! Maybe Sister Emma won^t 
open her eyes some ! Maybe John Wilby won’t 
sit up and take notice when be hears about this! 
I just can’t wait till we get a light to see what 
it all means!” 

Paul had been making just such exclamations 
in a wildly excited, disconnected way for five 
minutes at least. The rain was coming down 
in a steady drizzle now, but he would scarcely 
have taken notice had it snowed. 

Cool, practical Dave MacLester was differ- 
ent. ^‘When you fellows get time to hear me I’ll 
just remark that it’s raining some. Don’t s’pose 
there’s any question but what we know enough 
to go in; but the point is, why don’t we thenP’ 

^‘How about the post? How do we know 
we’ve got everything out of it?” asked Billy, 
seriously. ‘‘Let’s gather up the pieces and 
take ’em along. Better not leave them right by 
the road here, anyway, I imagine.” 

Acting on this suggestion, the boys felt about 


308 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


for all the fragments of the post, both large and 
small, and loaded them into the tonneau. Still 
thrilling with their discovery they made haste 
to the old house. 

Bright Eyes had spoken but little during the 
excitement of the find, but was as eager as any 
to see how important the papers might be. 

‘‘You see it will be a dandy thing for Paul 
and for his sister if the papers show there is 
I)roperty belonging to them,’’ said Phil as he 
and the Youngster sat side by side. 

“I just hope there’s a million dollars for his 
sister and another for Paul,” cried the lad. 

“Wliatl What’s that you said!” exclaimed 
Phil, the others also instantly giving attention 
to catch the repetition of the words. 

“Oh, I get you heard,” Master Mystery an- 
swered with confusion. 

“Sure, we heard. Jack, but we never heard 
you speak that way before,” said Phil gayly. 

“Never did ’peak like lat before. I can’t,” 
was the sober answer. 

And although Bright Eyes himself seemed as 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 309 

nmch surprised as any of the others that, un- 
consciously, he had suddenly pronounced the 
sounds of S and TH he declared his inability 
to do the same thing again. 

No doubt the excitement had caused it — 
caused the youngster to speak as others were 
speaking, though not in his usual manner at 
all. Stranger things have happened, in times 
of sudden danger, sudden joy or deep and quick 
appeal to the emotions. 

Or was the strange Boy acting every day a 
part with his speech which he had momentarily 
forgotten to use? Some such question as this 
came to the minds of the chums. They could 
scarcely imagine their strange friend speaking 
quite like other people. In a careless, half- 
defined, boyish way they realized that when he 
did come at last to do so, as some day he surely 
would, he could never seem quite the same boy 
again. They would like him just as well; but 
he would be different, and somehow more nearly 
of an age with them than they had ever yet felt 
him to be. 


310 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


By the light of an anto lamp and a little fire 
soon kindled on the wide, brick hearth, — for the 
rain made the night air cold, and there were 
wet clothes to he dried, too, — the tin box and 
its contents were inspected. The latter con- 
sisted of a nnmber of papers, — a couple of fire 
insurance policies, a bundle of tax receipts, the 
honorable discharge of Grandfather Beaman 
from the army and a few others, — records of 
yields of grain on certain fields, and the like. 
Among them, however, was one envelope tightly 
sealed and addressed ‘‘To My Granddaughter, 
Emma Jones.’’ 

“That’s the main thing, Paul,” said Phil 
Way. “These others may be important, but 
the next move, I should say, is to send that en- 
velope to your sister.” 

Paul sat on the floor before the fire, his legs 
crossed. The others were grouped about him, 
while he opened up one paper after another. 
And now the sealed envelope was the only one 
left. 

“Yes, we must send or take that to Banning- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


311 


ton, riglit away,’’ he said. Maybe I could go 
on the train. It wouldn’t cost — How much do 
you suppose the fare would be to Lannington?” 

“We’ll find out at the Run in the morning,” 
was Phil’s reply. 

“In the morning! It’s morning now and get- 
ting daylight!” ejaculated Billy. “Let’s get 
some sleep!” 

It was certainly a wise proposal. In every 
direction the roosters were crowing and the 
pale light on the eastern sky heralded the com- 
ing of another day. 

“I suppose we can put what’s left of the 
stone post away when we get up,” said Phil. 
‘ ‘ But I ’d put all the papers back in the box and 
put that in some good place, Paul. ’ ’ 

“Yep,” the young gentleman addressed an- 
swered sleepily. 

Now that their excitement was for the time 
over, all the boys felt weariness creep fast upon 
them. The rain was still falling and the warmth 
of the fire-place was pleasant; but it was con- 
ducive to drowsiness, also. Leaving the door 


312 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


wide open, as they had often done before, they 
crept into their beds. 

Panl had placed the box with its precious 
papers in a small, closed cupboard built into the 
wall beside the fireplace. Grandmother Bea- 
man probably kept her knitting there, — ^likewise 
her workbasket, and all such little things as she 
would frequently be using years ago. At any 
rate it was a handy place. It seemed safe 
enough, too, for the purpose to which it was 
now put. Often the boys had been away from 
the house for practically all day. They never 
locked the door. And they had never missed 
one thing from among their belongings. 

It was a tired and drowsy lot of boys who 
crept out of their beds only an hour later than 
their usual time ! But there was too much to be 
done to permit of their sleeping longer, as Phil 
emphatically observed, a half dozen times at 
least, before Billy was fully persuaded of the 
fact. 

For one thing, there were the remnants of 
the stone post to be disposed of. A careful in- 


TEE AUTO BOYE^ OUTING 


313 


spection was first made of them in a search for 
something of valne which might have been over- 
looked in the darkness. Nothing being fonnd, 
the fragments of broken cement work were 
thrown back of some tall, bushy asparagus at 
the end of the woodshed. 

Breakfast was, of course, the next thing in 
order, but hearty, even if not elaborate, lunches 
after the return from the night ^s expedition, 
had taken the edge from usual keen appetites. 
This number in the morning’s program then, 
partially for the reason stated, and largely be- 
cause other things were considered more highly 
important, occupied but little time. The morn- 
ing swim had been omitted altogether. 

“If it doesn’t cost too much, one of us might 
go along home with you, Paul,” Phil said, as 
the Thirty rumbled smoothly over the river 
bridge toward Middle Run. Paul wished some 
one would go, and said so. He wished they 
could all make the trip in the car and then re^ 
turn to the old house again to finish their vaca- 
tion. 


314 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Phil thought well of this plan till Billy, with a 
wink, suggested that an important letter was 
expected to reach Middle Eun at any minute. 

‘‘That’s so,” he said with a glance at Bright 
Eyes. The latter caught this reference to a let- 
ter — some letter about which he had not been 
taken into confidence. He had heard a consid- 
erable number of such allusions. His eyes said 
as much as they met Way’s at this moment. 

It would be a slow and round-about trip to 
Lannington by rail. This was the information 
obtained at the Middle Eun station. The A. & 
F., the only road touching the village, wasn’t a 
trunk line by a considerable margin. Only one 
of its two or three daily trains went so far as 
South Falls where a connection to reach Lan- 
nington could be made. The fare would be 
nearly seven dollars. 

“Maybe we better mail the letter to my sis- 
ter,” Paul proposed. “A fellow can do a lot of 
work and get less than seven dollars for it.” 

“Or go home in the machine, same as we 
talked about awhile ago,” put in Billy. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


315 


By this time the Thirty was standing in front 
of the Middle Enn post office. Phil had gone 
inside. Bright Eyes, Billy and Panl were in the 
tonneau, Dave in the driver’s seat. 

‘‘It’s here. We’ve got an answer to our let- 
ter, anyhow,” said Way happily, coming out of 
the little frame building. Again he glanced at 
the Boy. 

There was more than a touch of resentment, 
defiance — or was it injured feelings? — in the 
younger lad’s eyes. Did he suspect that the 
letter might refer to him or was he only hurt 
that the others knew about some matter of in- 
terest and importance of which he was kept in 
ignorance ? 

Phil wondered about it. The mistake he 
made, though, and the mistake the others 
made, was in their failure to appreciate how 
quick of perception and capable of reasoning 
the little stranger was. 

It most certainly would not do to open the 
letter from Washington in the presence of the 
Boy. No opportunity to see its contents would 


316 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


easily be found until borne was reached. So, 
after deciding to talk over, later on, the matter 
of driving the car through to Lannington, the 
lads headed for the Beaman place. 

A stop was made at the grocery to buy some 
supplies, and see Spike Marble for a minute. 
The greetings of that slim young man were fol- 
lowed with the intelligence that the outing party 
would now have Sam Carew for a neighbor. 
Sam and Joe Kalie, Marble said, were going to 
spend some time at Jonas Tagg’s. Kalie ’s 
older brother, Dan, was working for Mr. Tagg 
and the two boys were going to remain with 
him, while Mr. and Mrs. Kalie were away for 
a few days. 

< ‘Very fine ! ’ ’ said Billy Worth. ^ ^ They were 
out our way yesterday. We didn’t know until 
just lately that anybody named Kalie belonged 
at the Tagg farm.” 

“Why, we just found it out last night,” put 
in Paul Jones, with that exceedingly good- 
natured grin of his. ^‘He was over to see us 
and stayed quite awhile.” 


CHAPTER XX 


A SEVERE BLOW TO THE AUTO BOYS 

Although the sky had cleared during the 
morning, the roads were still muddy from the 
night’s rain. The longer road home from Mid- 
dle Run was the better one, as has been pre- 
viously explained. To take this course, how- 
ever, meant to pass the Tagg farm. 

‘‘Who cares'?” demanded Billy. “We can 
just casually glance around and see how we left 
things.” 

“Blest if I see why we shouldn’t,” Phil put 
in. “While it might be just as well if we 
didn ’t, — there ’s nothing on my conscience ! The 
post didn’t belong to Tagg, anyway.” 

It was Paul who felt the least bit nervous 
with regard to going home past the scene of the 
night’s adventure. He had the tin box and its 
contents buttoned under his coat. Perhaps he 
had some notion that Tagg would rush out and 

317 


318 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


take them from him. Certain it is, in anj^ event, 
his mind was not disturbed in quite the same 
way as was PhiPs. 

Home by the longer road the boys went, for 
Dave drove straight ahead by that course while 
the others were talking. They passed the Tagg 
house at normal speed, but dared do no more 
than glance at the spot under the pines where 
the cannon-shaped post had been. 

No miscroscope would be necessary to show 
that the earth had been disturbed. There could 
be little probability that the removal of the post 
had gone undiscovered. The chances were, in- 
deed, that the first member of the Jagg house- 
hold who passed the spot that morning must 
have noticed the fresh earth scattered about, — 
must have quickly found the meaning of it. 

Midway between the Beaman place and Mr. 
Tagg’s uninviting dwelling the boys made 
another discovery. Sam Carew and his friend 
Kalie were seated on the rail fence, apparently 
just idling away the time. But why had they 
come so far only for this? Were they but on 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


319 


the way to the Tagg farm or had they been 
there? If the latter were true, where else had 
they been? 

While there could be no answer to these ques- 
tions, one thing entirely apparent was that it 
would be well to leave some one in charge at the 
old farmhouse while these two meddlers re- 
mained in the neighborhood. If they were 
mean enough to throw stones, what might they 
not be tempted to do, if given continued oppor- 
tunities by the absence of every member of the 
Auto Boys’ party? 

Carew and his friend apparently took no 
notice of the car or its occupants as the machine 
drew near. The Auto Boys should have taken 
no more notice of them. None did so excepting 
Jones. Unfortunately, he just could not re- 
frain. 

‘‘Understand he ain’t pitching for Wilton 
any more, ’ ’ he sang out cheerfully, as if speak- 
ing only to the two on the front seats. Of 
course it was a silly thing to do, though it 
caused a smile, too. Bright Eyes, seeing only 


320 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


the joke and not the real meaning of it, laughed 
aloud. 

Guess he won’t soon laugh the other way, 
eh!” bawled Sam Carew harshly, as if he, also, 
spoke only to his own company. 

It was impossible not to see that the Boy was 
the object of this remark. Did Sam have some 
information concerning the little chap, which 
was not known to himself and friends, wondered 
Phil. It was the second time he had made such 
a veiled allusion. 

‘‘You don’t know what he meant by that, do 
you. Jack?” he asked. “If you do know that 
he might have something, especially concerning 
you, in mind, you really better tell us, old man. 
All the more so if it is something that might 
cause trouble, for then we would be ready for 
him, don’t you see?” 

Bright Eyes shook his head, but he was 
visibly worried, — even more so than that day 
after the ball game when Sam had threatened 
him. 

“Now Jack’s going down in the orchard to 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 321 

bring some apples, then we’ll all have a com- 
fortable talk about getting those papers to Lan- 
nington, ’ ’ said Phil, when the Thirty had turned 
into the grass-grown Beaman drive once more. 
Promptly the little Chap ran off to do as sng- 
gested. 

‘^Plurry aronnd into the front yard. We’ll 
see what report we get from Washington,” said 
Phil quickly. 

Under the old locust near the portico the un- 
stamped envelope marked “Official Business” 
was opened. The letter was short. After the 
formal salutation came only the statement that 
the Dead Letter Division had no knowledge 
or record of any Ninth and One-Half street, 
save one which was in Floraville. The name of 
the state was given also, but it was scarcely 
necessary. The Auto Boys knew of Floraville 
as well as they knew of Cincinnati, Indianapolis 
or any large city of their own Middle West. 
Why, — and just as Billy Worth had said, — 
Floraville was scarcely farther away than Lan- 


322 


THE AUTO BOYS' OUTIXG 


nington, itself; it was scarcely more than a 
day’s run in the Thirty. 

‘^And if there was a Ninth and One-Half 
street anywhere else the post-office people would 
surely know about it!” declared Phil Way with 
loud and enthusiastic emphasis. 

Bright Eyes came around the corner of the 
house, his straw hat full of red astrakhans, 
at the same moment. And bless his fast-beating 
heart ! He tried to look as if he had not heard ; 
tried to appear calm and at ease, though he 
glanced quickly at Way in a manner at once so 
pleading and so determined that Phil, at least, 
knew the youngster had heard; and knew that 
for some reason he was completely upset there- 
by, much as he pretended to the contrary. 

The question whether to go to Lannington in 
the machine or to send by mail those strangely 
recovered papers, hidden away by Grandfather 
Beaman, was still being debated when after- 
noon came. Curious and anxious as they were 
to learn the importance and contents of that 
envelope addressed to Paul’s sister, the lads 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


323 


could make up their minds neither to trusting it 
in the mails nor yet to bearing the expense of 
going clear to Lannington and back themselves. 
Eepeatedly they had re-examined all the 
papers open to inspection. Just what value, if 
any, these possessed they were unable to deter- 
mine positively. 

‘‘We’re just too sleepy to think straight,” 
finally declared Billy, with a prodigious yawn. 
“Let’s not decide it today, anyway.” 

“That’s what I say,” chirped Paul. “I’m 
going to have a good old snooze out in the front 
yard, right now. ’ ’ 

Phil said he wanted to go to Middle Eun and 
Billy and Dave agreed to go with him. No one 
asked Bright Eyes to go. There was a reason 
for not doing so. A letter was to be sent at once 
to “F. & S., 29 Ninth and One-Half street, 
Floraville,” making inquiry as to whether a 
certain boy had been missed from that town. 

The dinner dishes had been washed and put 
away and the boys were seated on the shady 
back porch. Phil rose, at last, and moved 


324 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


wearily toward the car. Being np all night was 
snrely a terrible hardship the next day, he was 
finding. Slowly Dave and Billy followed him. 

^^I’ll just see that nobody heaves any more 
dornicks, anyhow, ’ ’ said Paul, signifying his in- 
tention of remaining at home. But he arose and 
listlessly followed the car out to the road. 
Waving his hand in farewell, he then turned 
toward the shade of the old pines, the locusts 
and the maples in the door-yard. 

Bright Eyes, Paul noticed, also waved his 
hand in farewell as Phil and Billy looked hack. 
The youngster was standing by the porch. 
Jones called to him to come out front, think- 
ing they would both lie down awhile in the soft 
deep grass. 

‘ ‘ W ell, mebhe, ’ ’ came the response. ^ ‘ G et I ’ll 
look for more applet, pretty loon.” 

Paying no further heed to the younger lad, 
Paul stretched himself on the ground. That 
the Boy would join him presently he had no 
doubt. That the tin box and its papers he so 
highly prized were in the slightest danger, there 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


325 


on the floor in the doorway of the sitting-room, 
did not for an instant occur to him. He had left 
them there some time after dinner, — ^very care- 
lessly, indeed, as he had good reason to remem- 
ber later. 

It was five 0 ’clock when Phil, Billy and Dave 
came rolling home in the car. The pleasant 
rush of air and exhilarating sense of motion had 
dispelled their drowsiness, once the machine 
was fairly under way — and, thus refreshed, they 
made a longer trip than at first contemplated. 
And besides, it wasn’t often Spike Marble had 
a chance to ride in the car. Finding him with 
an afternoon of liberty, the boys had asked him 
to pilot them over some new roads, far beyond 
Middle Eun and the creek from which the vil- 
lage took its name. 

Paul roused up sleepily as he heard the car 
return. He noticed with surprise the length- 
ened shadows and realized that he had slept a 
long time. Not at all disturbed by this reflec- 
tion, but, on the contrary, congratulating him- 
self upon having had so comfortable a nap, he 


326 


TEE -AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


dropped his head to his arm again. No doubt 
he would have again fallen sound asleep, also, 
had he been permitted. But now came Phil, 
saying: 

‘‘Come on along to Fifer’s for the milk! 
Have you been sleeping all afternoon?*^ 

Still very drowsy, the young gentleman ad- 
dressed slowly got upon his feet. Together the 
two performed the errand. Billy Worth was 
busy with preparations for supper. Dave was 
washing the worst of the mud from the car 
and hurrying to be through before the evening 
repast should be announced. 

So did time pass until the late summer sun 
was setting. Supper was ready. 

“Where’s Jack-a-DandyT’ inquired Phil, 
looking about. 

No one knew. No one had seen him. 

“Blamed if 1 know where he went to,” said 
Paul with more emphasis than grammatical ac- 
curacy. “I called him to come out in the door- 
yard and he said he would go after some apples 
first. I didn’t see him again.” 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


827 


‘‘Eeckon you didn’t see much of anything all 
afternoon,” put in Phil, in a more caustic tone 
than one often heard from him. 

‘‘I left him and I left those papers — By the 
jumping jack rabbits! where are those papers? 
where’s that box, fellows?” 

A wave of fear and apprehension almost 
overwhelming swept through the lad’s frame. 
Had the others, just to frighten him, hidden 
that prize on which he was building such grand 
hopes and expectations? Their own faces — 
their blank amazement — said no, said it too 
plainly to be misunderstood. 

Minutes of alarm and excitement followed. 
Wildly the four boys rushed to every part of 
the door-yard, to the garden and to the orchard. 
Loudly they called. 

There came no answer to their anxious, eager 
cries. They found no trace of Bright Eyes. 
They found no trace of the tin box or the valued 
papers it contained. Where could the Boy be? 
And were Grandfather Beaman’s records with 
him? 


328 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

Long, long after dark the supper, served and 
ready on the little table in the old sitting-room, 
was still nntasted. Every foot of the Beaman 
place had been searched and searched again. 
The kitchen attic, the cellar, all the rooms in 
the house were gone over. The barn, and its 
great, damp grain bin of cement-work, its queer 
boxes and corners, — all were searched high and 
low. 

On the supposition, which for a moment 
seemed hopeful, that the Boy had wandered 
away some distance and, being very tired, had 
fallen asleep but most certainly would awaken 
and be returning soon, the anxious friends at 
last tried to eat their evening meal. Neverthe- 
less it was a most melancholy and unhappy 
effort. 

Worn out as they all were by the want of rest 
and the exciting incidents of the preceding 
night, their spirits would have been drooping at 
best. And now the strange disappearance of 
the Boy, for whose care a large responsibility 
attached to them, accompanied by the loss of the 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 329 

papers which might mean so much, placed upon 
their hearts a weight almost unbearable. 

In the dull glimmer of the little kitchen lamp, 
as they tried to eat and drink, the lads unhap- 
pily discussed the circumstances surrounding 
the little stranger’s disappearance; and re- 
luctantly they admitted the unmistakable proba- 
bility that either he had carried off the tin box 
or someone else had carried it away and him 
with it. So many things seemed easily pos- 
sible, — or even probable ! 

Might not Sam Carew be somewhere at the 
bottom of it all! It would have been quite 
possible for him and Joe Kalie to have carried 
Bright Eyes otf bodily. Might not the boy’s 
absence, then, be simply the fruit of Carew ’s 
implied threat that morning! 

There was Jonas Tagg, too ! He would have 
had ample opportunity to approach and go all 
through the house, while Paul was soundly 
sleeping under the trees. True, he would seem 
to have no reason for spiriting Little Mystery 
away, though undeniably he would be keen to 


330 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


lay hands on Grandfather Beaman’s papers, if 
he knew of their discovery. 

Then there was the theory that, having reason 
to believe his identity was being investigated 
more closely than he liked, the Boy had simply 
made otf. If this were the case, his leaving 
would be no more mysterious than was his first 
coming among them, the friends were forced to 
agree. 

Phil could not but recall the boy’s manner 
when reference had been made to the expected 
letter from Washington ; could not but recall his 
confusion when he overheard mention of a 
street which, in all probability, he well knew. 

‘‘But, I would — ^yes, I will yet, give my word 
that Jack is honest! If he has gone oft of his 
own accord, then somebody else took those 
papers,” Phil Way declared. “Then, again, it 
might be that, seeing the round box lying there 
on the floor, he put it away, somewhere, for safe 
keeping. Then, going over into the cornfield or 
somewhere he fell asleep, just as we were talk- 
ing about, a little while ago.” 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


331 


‘ ‘ Or, maybe he put the box and papers in his 
waist or took them with him somehow, same as 
Panl carried them this morning, so they’d be 
safe. He likely knew Jones was sleeping,” sug- 
gested Billy. 

There’s no end of things that might have 
happened, ’ ’ put in MacLester gloomily. 

Would he have gone to Middle Eun, think- 
ing to meet the car and you and ride home?” 
asked Paul. ‘ ‘ He might have done that . ’ ’ 
‘‘Maybe he got clear to the Eun and, seeing 
him so tired, Spike Marble made him stay for 
supper,” suggested Billy, a little more hope- 
fully. 

“We’ve got to go to Middle Eun just as quick 
as ever we can,” announced Phil suddenly. 
“Two of us will hurry over there and two stay 
around here, to hunt some more and to be here 
if he should — Oh, if he only would come ! ’ ’ 
There was a sad trembling in Way’s voice 
and he dashed out of the door like a flash. He 
lighted both the gas and oil lamps of the car and 
started the engine. 


332 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


‘‘Who better go, PhilT’ asked Billy in a 
quiet, sad way, so different from his usual man- 
ner, it might have been another person speak- 
ing. 

“You go, Billy, — you and Dave,’’ Way 
quickly decided. ‘ ‘ Go by one road and back by 
the other. See Marble and anyone else who 
might have heard or seen anything of him, and 
the town marshal will have to be notified, too. 
Yes, I know it’s likely to mean telling about 
those papers, later on, but no need to talk about 
them tonight. Away you go then! And say! 
You better stop and let Fifer’s folks know we’re 
still hunting, in case any news should come to 
them.” 

In the search of the Beaman premises and 
the neighborhood the home of Mr. Tagg had 
been the only one not visited earlier. Telling 
Paul he was going there and that he would in- 
sist on seeing and talking with Sam Carew, Phil 
hurried away. 

Jones could only watch and wait. A lonely 
forty minutes he had of it, too, ere Way re- 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


333 


turned. Then the two kept watch together, 
hopeful and despondent by turns ; for no tidings 
of any kind had Phil obtained from the Tagg 
household. 

Mr. Tagg said he had been in the fields all 
day, himself, and Dan Kalie was helping with 
a distant neighbor's threshing. Sam and the 
younger Kalie said they had been down along 
the new railroad all afternoon. 

The bright lights of the Thirty came into view 
before a great while. If they brought news, or 
no news, it would be at least some relief to all 
be together again, thought Phil, as he and Paul 
walked to the drive. 

‘‘Any wordP’ 

“Nothing about the Boy,’’ answered Billy 
with what calmness he could. “No one has seen 
a thing of him. There’s other news, though.” 

“What is it, Billy?” Paul asked. The usual 
sprightly vigor was gone from his voice en- 
tirely. 

“Nothing more than that Tagg was at the 
Eun just after noon. He got out a warrant for 


334 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


the arrest of all five of us for the malicious de- 
struction of property/’ 

‘‘We met Marble coming to tell us about it. 
Wanted us to know it, so that if we wanted to 
vamoose, we could,” Dave added. 


CHAPTER XXI 


THE CONVENIENCE OF OWNING AN 
AUTOMOBILE 

It was characteristic of Dave MacLester that, 
when to the others the outlook was pleasant, he 
was sure to find some cloud in the sky. But to 
his credit, be it said, he was not a grumbler or 
fault finder in time of real trouble. And flow 
when he spoke of the serious news obtained 
from Marble it was with an air quite calm and 
unruffled. 

^‘Well! That shows what Tagg is, for one 
thing!’’ was Phil’s comment, his voice harsh 
with indignation. ‘‘The old villain! He told 
me, himself, not a half hour ago that he had 
been in his fields all day! I s’pose he’s found 
out somehow that we broke up that post ! Won- 
der how much else he’s found out or suspects?’’ 

“We sent word by Spike that we would con- 
sider the arrest the same as made ; that all they 

335 


336 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


had to do was let as know when they wanted 
us, ’ ’ said Billy. ^ ‘ Did you see Carew ? ’ ’ 

Way quickly told the result of his inquiry at 
Tagg’s. Worth and MacLester then reported 
at length how they had met their good friend 
Marble hastening along the road to apprise 
them of the danger threatening. Taking him in 
the car, they had continued on to the \dllage. 
But their inquiries there regarding Bright Eyes 
had been entirely unsuccessful. No one had 
seen him. 

^‘If it wasnT that he had learned to swim so 
well, I’d be afraid of his having fallen in the 
river, ’ ’ reflected Phil aloud, still thinking much 
more of the unaccountable absence of the young- 
ster than of the warrant in the Middle Eun con- 
stable’s hands. ‘‘If we only knew where we 
might look next I ’ ’ 

Paul Jones had been most unusually quiet, a 
few muttered words his only comment. Now, 
however, he offered a suggestion — offered 
it not in his customary lively, energetic 
way, but sadly, meekly, wearily: “Maybe we 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


337 


could get hold of some information just taking 
this trick of Tagg’s as a starting point, said 
he. Maybe we could find out from that what 
sort of a move he ’s been making. ’ ’ 

‘‘It’s worth trying,” said Way promptly. 
“We’ll go straight to Middle Eun and tell the 
officers we’ll consider ourselves under arrest. 
They won’t want to lock us up if we do that, I 
think. When they arrested George Knight for 
speeding he did that way and it was all right. 
Then we can find out just what charge Tagg has 
made against us, and at what time he was in 
town.” 

“Looks a lot to me as if Tagg stopped here 
at the house on his way home,” said Billy. 
“He found Paul asleep and nobody but Jack 
around. And what happened then I just hate 
to think about!” he added, his shoulders droop- 
ing as if under a load. 

Phil quickly planned the second hurried trip 
to Middle Eun. Billy, Dave and Paul should 
go. He would remain in and about the old 
house to receive any word which might be 


338 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


brought. There was faint hope, also, that the 
missing lad might return of his own accord. 

What a fine thing is an automobile! Never 
tired, never asking the distance, never asking 
consideration on account of it being time for 
rest, or the hour for meals, — such consideration 
as one would feel he must give a horse, for in- 
stance! And the Thirty was such a splendid 
car ! Earely out of order, rarely anything but 
ready, night or day ! The boys often wondered 
how people ever got along, without the utmost 
inconvenience and loss of time, before automo- 
biles were manufactured! 

Without so much as having stopped the en- 
gine, Billy turned the car about and headed 
again toward the village. 

‘‘Good-bye! And hurry!’’ called Phil. And 
as the “good-byes” in answer came, he walked 
slowly, sadly to the house. He was sorry he had 
not been able to see his way clear to go to 
Middle Eun himself. Especially did he desire 
this on account of taking action with regard to 
that warrant for their arrest. There would 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


339 


have to be some sort of a hearing or a trial, he 
was aware. Arrangements to meet that ordeal 
mnst he made. He scarcely knew what, except 
that there ought to be a lawyer to help them 
with their defense. On the other hand, it was 
imperative that someone remain at that lonely, 
empty house. He had not had the heart to ask 
one of the others to do it. 

No less earnestly than Phil Way wished he 
might have gone to the village, did Billy Worth 
wish the same thing. What to do when the 
three of them reached there was a puzzle to him. 
Phil would have directed all such matters easily. 

Thus it was that Spike Marble was hunted 
up. Perhaps he would know the proper steps 
to take in such a situation. Marble did not 
know very much about the subject. However, 
he did have some intelligence of absorbing in- 
terest. He had a talk with Lon Barlow, the con- 
stable, and learned a great deal as to the nature 
of Mr. Tagg’s complaint. 

The latter had not refrained from telling of 
the evidence he claimed to have against the boys 


340 


THE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


and who his witnesses were. Constable Barlow 
might not have repeated this information to the 
Auto Boys themselves, but he did not hesitate 
about telling it to disinterested parties. Per- 
haps it isn^t too much to say that he keenly 
relished doing so. 

The little town was in quite a fever over the 
news. Naturally the young visitors had from 
the first attracted considerable notice, besides 
having made many friends and acquaintances 
during their frequent visits. Naturally, too, the 
intelligence regarding them spread fast. Mr. 
Barlow had frequent opportunities to tell his 
story. And he told it all, again and again, with 
a care for details, a precision as to the exact 
allegations, and a generally judicial air quite 
befitting his official position, undoubtedly. 

Spike Marble re-told to the three boys the 
substance of all the constable had said but he 
did it much more briefly. Jonas Tagg had come 
to the village soon after noon. He tied his old, 
white horse in front of ^Squire Widden’s little 
office and went in. He told the justice of the 


TEE AUTO BOYE^ OUTING 


341 


peace he wanted some boys ‘‘took np” for de- 
stroying property. He gave the names of all 
bnt one of them — the youngest. This was later 
written in the warrant as “John Doe,’’ as the 
custom is. 

The substance of the farmer’s charge was 
that an ornamental stone or cement post had 
been taken from in front of his premises and 
broken to bits. His evidence against the Auto 
Boys was the fact that the broken pieces of the 
post were found back of the woodshed at the 
empty house where they were spending their 
vacation. 

He had noticed the absence of the post during 
the morning. Later two boys staying with him, 
Sam Carew and Joe Kalie, by name, had visited 
the Beaman place at his request, and had found 
the remnants. 

Mr. Tagg stated that he would have known 
his youthful neighbors took the post, anyway, 
because they were very destructive and very 
prying and curious, — minding everybody’s busi- 
ness hut their own. He wanted them punished 


342 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


and, by all means, sent away from tlie neighbor- 
hood. 

Although it was getting late Billy, Dave and 
Paul decided to present themselves before 
’Squire Widden at once. They wanted to tell 
him the post did not belong to Mr. Tagg. They 
even believed that if they told him all their side 
of the story, the justice of the peace might dis- 
miss the charge. 

^^No, I reckon we better hear your account of 
it at the right time and place, which ain’t 
here and ain’t now,” said the ’Squire, a little 
later, quickly blasting the fond hope mentioned. 

He leaned far back in his old rocking chair 
at his home, for there the lads had found him. 
He had removed his shoes and his feet, encased 
in blue and white cotton socks, rested on 
another chair before him. The newspaper he 
was reading by the light of a large kerosene 
lamp on a table covered with a red cloth had 
fallen to his lap. He seemed anxious to take 
the paper again. His manner, while not un- 
kind, showed little disposition to give his young 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


343 


callers any sympathy, as they stood grouped 
just inside the open door of the comfortable, 
but by no means luxurious, living-room of his 
modest dwelling. 

’Squire Widden was an elderly man. He ap- 
peared well fed and well contented with his lot 
in life. A little more of dignity and a great 
deal more of care as to his personal appearance 
would have made of him quite a fine, old coun- 
try gentleman. He stroked his gray mustache 
and peered uneasily over his glasses at the 
three boys as they waited. 

‘‘But what can we do? We aren’t going to 
be locked up, are we?” asked Billy, in dismay. 

“Oh, I reckon there’s no need of that,” said 
the justice slowly. “Constable Barlow says 
you sent word you considered the arrest the 
same as made. ‘In that case,’ I says to him, 
‘have ’em in here for a hearing tomorrow morn- 
ing.’ So if he hain’t notified you. I’ll do it for 
him.” 

“What time?” the boys inquired. 

“Oh, most any time. If I ain’t in my office, 


344 TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

I’ll be across at tlie store or in the garden patch 
right back of the house. Most any time ’fore 
noon.” 

‘‘We want time to get a lawyer here from 
Lannington,” said Billy Worth, with sudden de- 
termination. 

“0-o-hI” and ’Squire Widden straightened 
up in his chair. “ Oh ! ” he said again, but in a 
less surprised way. “You want a lawyer, do 
you?” 

The three boys said they did, and asked if 
that wasn’t the custom. 

“Oh, sometimes ’tis, and sometimes ’tain’t,” 
said Justice Widden thoughtfully. He was pon- 
dering on how his little office would be crowded 
by the curious if the accused youths had a law- 
yer come all the way from Lannington to de- 
fend them. 

“Tell you what you’ll have to do, then,” the 
’Squire went on, after some reflection. “Come 
around tomorrow morning, the whole caboodle 
of you, — ‘John Doe,’ and all, — and we’ll hear 
your plea, which will be ‘not guilty,’ I take it. 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


345 


Then we will set the hearing for the next day, 
which will he, — ^be — wait a minute 

Justice Widden adjusted his glasses to in- 
spect a small calendar hanging just above the 
table with the red cloth. “Which will he Wed- 
nesday, — Wednesday at ten o’clock,’’ he con- 
tinued presently. “But if you’re going to get 
a lawyer from Lannington, you’ll have to tele- 
graft, an’ telegraftin’ costs money. And he 
can’t get here till Wednesday, you know.” 

“We will have to telegraph or use the long 
distance ’phone,” Billy replied, and thanking 
the really kind old gentleman, the boys hurried 
away. 

At the railroad station it was found that, by 
leaving Lannington the next evening, one could 
make connections to arrive in Middle Eun the 
morning following. 

“I’m going to telephone,” said Billy Worth 
decisively. “I’m going to telephone home and 
my father can tell all your folks. It’s too seri- 
ous business to keep to ourselves. WTio knows 
what Tagg may testify to, and have Sam Carew 


346 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


and both those Kalies to hack him npl Even 
if we tell what Dan Kalie said about Tagg steal- 
ing that post and other things, we don’t know 
how to go about actually proving it ! ” 

In the boys’ exhausted, worn and dispirited 
condition the thought of seeking assistance and 
counsel from home was a comforting one, well 
used as they were to shouldering responsibil- 
ities. Very soon, therefore, the Middle Eun 
telephone operator was thrown into quite a 
flurry by being asked to get William Worth’s 
residence. Main 4621, Lannington. 

With what surprise William Worth, senior, 
heard William Worth, junior, report that the 
Auto Boys had been arrested, may easily be 
imagined. Being a practical, broad-gauged 
man, however, he realized that the time to 
scold or express at length his disapproval was 
not in a long distance telephone conversation. 
What he did say was : ^ ‘ Just look here, my lad, 
if you boys are guilty, own up and pay up. Pay 
for the damage ! Be men ! ’ ’ 

^‘But don’t you understand? Don’t you hear 


TSE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 347 

me?’’ Billy fairly shouted, in protest, ^‘we 
weren’t really guilty at all. There are so many 
reasons why, I can’t tell them now. You’ve 
got to come, and if you can’t come, send some- 
body else, — Dr. Way, or somebody along with 
Mr. Dilworth. We’ve just got to have Mr. Dil- 
worth here. Be sure to send him, even if no one 
else comes along. There’s ever so much back 
of this ! ’ ’ 

At last Mr. Worth promised to send Dan Dil- 
worth on the next evening’s train. He, himself, 
agreed to go together with Dr. Way, and Mr. 
MacLester and John Wilby, — at least with any 
of them who believed it necessary to make the 
trip. 

‘^That’s fine. Pop! I’ve got something more 
to tell you, but — ” 

But at this juncture Billy’s mother took his 
father’s place at the other end of the line and 
the two were still talking when the operator 
‘^cut in” to say, “Three minutes are up.” So 
as the important things had been told, Mrs. 
Worth said “good-bye” and Billy said, “Good- 


348 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


night, mother,’’ and felt better than at any time 
since noon of that day, at least. 

Those of yon who read ‘‘The Anto Boys” 
will recall the old-fashioned, smooth-shaven, 
large and rnddy Daniel Dilworth, the lawyer, 
who was their friend. Grnff and blnnt in his 
speech as he surely was, he nevertheless had a 
warm place in his heart for the four chums. 

There could be no doubt but he would come 
to Middle Eun immediately. He might say in 
pretty plain English what he thought of the 
carrying off of hitching posts or other prop- 
erty, but he would stand by his friends to the 
end if he believed they had an honest defense. 
Otherwise, like Billy’s father, he would most 
certainly advise them to settle the damage and 
never be guilty of such conduct again. 

In fact, Dave, Billy and Paul talked most of 
the way home about what Mr. Dilworth would 
probably say to them. They felt quite timid 
about meeting the gruff old man, but would 
face that ordeal willingly, they thought, just to 
see what a spectacle he would make of Jonas 



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THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


349 


Tagg when the latter took the witness stand. 

Now the impression should not be obtained 
that the boys did not feel the disgrace and 
humiliation which had come to them. They 
realized now that they had been entirely wrong 
in carrying off the post, even if it did not prop- 
erly belong to Mr. Tagg. They understood now 
that ‘‘two wrongs never made one right’’ and 
never will. But they had had upon their minds 
so much of anxiety over the loss of the tin box 
and the papers in it, coupled with the disappear- 
ance of Bright Eyes, which worried them a great 
deal more, that the incident of their arrest 
seemed only a part of a world of trouble and 
sorrow. 

The headlights of the Thirty flashed coldly 
upon the grim, vacant windows of the farm- 
house as the car wheeled into the drive. Only 
the rays of the lamp through the open door of 
the sitting-room showed that anyone was there, 
but very soon Phil came hastening out. 

One word — the forlorn tone of his voice as 
he said, “Hello!” was sufficient indication that 


350 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


he, at least, had no good news to tell. ‘‘I 
haven’t a word yet,” he said, as he came near. 
‘‘Have yon?” 

Together the boys told of what they had done. 
Phil was greatly relieved to know that word 
had been sent home — greatly relieved to know 
that Dan Dilworth would be sent to Middle Run 
and that his father or perhaps Mr. Worth, or 
Mr. MacLester or Mr. Wilby — perhaps all four 
would accompany him. 

But even this encouraging information could 
take none of the awful, gnawing pain over the 
loss of Bright Eyes from his heart. Neither 
could he find in the account of Jonas Tagg’s 
statements and proceedings in the matter of 
the arrest anything to indicate in what way the 
Boy had been spirited away, or the papers 
stolen. He had hoped to discover in this report 
some ground for belief that Tagg had obtained 
the papers and that he also knew where Bright 
Eyes was. 

The picture of Sam Carew and the Kalies 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


351 


having carried Little Mystery off to hold him 
for a ransom, or for revenge, maybe, had been 
impressing itself on Phil’s fancy as he sat alone 
on the cheerless porch while Billy and the 
others were absent. He now told them of this 
impression. All in all, he was most miserable, 
and most certainly not without company. 

^^But we have to get some rest,” declared 
Dave, ‘^and we better do it now, so as to start 
out at the first streak of daylight to look in some 
fresh place. ’ ’ 

‘^We can leave a light burning,” said Paul, 
and opened his suitcase to get out his night 
clothes. 

‘‘What duds did Jack have on today?” he 
asked quickly, suddenly. “Here are those 
clothes of mine he wore, all folded up and put 
away! How can that be?” 

The announcement caused instant excitement. 
The next second, however, Phil Way grabbed 
up the lamp and ran to a large, empty room 
which had been the kitchen. 


353 


TEE AUTO BOYS* OUTING 


Protesting witli emphasis against being so 
nnceremonionsly left in the dark, the others fol- 
lowed. 

‘‘Yes sir! That’s what he’s done! He’s 
taken off Paul’s clothes and put on those rags 
we found him in,” called Philip Way. As if 
to make sure he turned over the little box in 
which, in the beginning, the wretched garments 
had been placed. 

“He’s safe then somewhere, fellows! He’s 
safe somewhere, anyhow ! But why did he want 
to leave us?” 

The note of relief and pain combined in 
Way’s tone was decidedly pronounced. 


CHAPTEB XXII 


THE GREATER ANXIETY OP JONAS TAGG 

While it appeared certain that Little Mystery 
had taken off the clothes furnished him from 
PauPs outfit and, resuming his own tattered 
garments, had gone away of his own accord, 
what prompted him to do so ? And whither had 
he gone? 

‘AVell, we’re so glad to know he wasn’t kid- 
napped or anything of that kind, I think we can 
all go to bed,” said Phil. ^‘And when it comes 
to the box and the papers, I’m not ready to 
say yet that he took them, much as it looks that 
way. ’ ’ 

All the boys felt keenly the loss of the records 
which might be so valuable; but considering 
now that Bright Eyes could not go so far but 
he could be overtaken the next day, and the 
papers recovered, provided he had them, the 
chums were willing to take the rest they all so 

353 


354 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


sorely needed. Still even after they crept into 
bed they conld not refrain from speculating 
upon the Boy’s reason for leaving them, and 
whether he had carried the papers off. 

There were two answers to the first question, 
either of which fitted the circumstances. The 
lad had been frightened away by Sam Carew’s 
threats or, believing his identity was about to 
be discovered, he had been, for reasons known 
to himself, unwilling to remain and face the un- 
covering of his connections or his history. Per- 
haps through sudden pique that, without in- 
forming him, the Auto Boys had written letters 
for the purpose of finding out what he declined 
to tell, he carried off the tin box and records 
for revenge. 

But suppose Bright Eyes had not taken the 
papers I Again and again Paul asked this ques- 
tion. Strange as it may seem, he was even less 
inclined than Phil to say the documents were 
in the Youngster’s possession. Perhaps Sam 
Carew and Joe Kalie knew more than they 
would care to tell. It was known this pleasant 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTlNG 366 

pair had been at the Beaman place during the 
morning. It was then that they had discovered 
the wreckage of the cannon-shaped post. Was 
it not entirely probable that they were there 
again in the afternoon? 

Tired nature asserted itself and the four 
friends fell asleep with their problems still un- 
solved. It would have been a pretty active 
‘‘ghost/’ too, which would have disturbed them. 
Even their plan to rise early, to pursue the 
search for Little Mystery and Grandfather 
Beaman’s records, went overboard with the 
wave of complete fatigue that submerged them. 

A dip and a short swim in a delightfully clear 
and inviting river are good at any time. Espe- 
cially well calculated are they to revive droop- 
ing spirits and restore mental and bodily vigor, 
in the cool of the morning and just following a 
long, sound sleep. 

This discovery, while perhaps not original 
with the Auto Boys, was made by them when at 
last they did awake. Indeed it was surprising to 
note how much more pleasant and hopeful they 


356 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 

felt after the exercise, as contrasted with their 
despairing thoughts of the night before. 
Things which had seemed bnt bare possibilities 
of good fortune the evening previous became 
strong probabilities now. The likelihood that 
Bright Eyes would be found ere night, even if 
he did not return of his own accord, seemed al- 
together promising. 

By seven o’clock the boys were in the car 
headed toward Sunfield. They planned to go a 
number of miles back along the Lannington 
road. If frequent inquiries brought only the 
information that the Boy had not been seen, 
they would return and turn off to Middle Eun. 
There the appointment with Justice Widden 
must be kept. Afterward they would scour the 
roads beyond the village. They were confident 
of getting trace of the runaway. 

Going at a twenty-five mile clip, for they were 
anxious to cover as much ground as possible, 
the boys passed Jonas Tagg’s unattractive 
residence. They did not see the old fellow, but 
he saw them, as he looked out of a window of 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


357 


tiis tumble-down bam. Mr. Tagg smiled. His 
plans, he thought, were working splendidly. 
For, be it known, the most worthy old gentle- 
man imagined the Auto Boys to be running 
away — running away from the constable and 
the warrant for their arrest. It was the speed 
of the car that convinced him of this. It was 
what he wanted. He very much preferred 
that, hearing they were to be arrested, his 
young neighbors would make a quick departure. 
That was his hope and his expectation when he 
invoked the law against them. 

As a matter of fact, Mr. Tagg had taken pains 
to arrange that news of his action should be car- 
ried to the young men. To this end he had 
talked freely of the warrant placed in Con- 
stable Barlow ^s hands, so allowing the news to 
be widely circulated. He would a great deal 
rather scare the boys away than have to appear 
in court. He meant to do the latter if neces- 
sary, but desired to avoid it. There was likeli- 
hood of unpleasant questions being asked. 

So for the reasons presented, and possibly 


368 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

for others as well, Mr. Tagg smiled, as the 
Thirty whizzed past his home. He was of the 
opinion, if the whole trnth were made known, 
that it wouldn’t be very long, now, until he 
would give the railroad company the proof of 
title to the land that corporation desired, and 
get his money. 

Ten miles the Auto Boys traversed in the 
direction of Lannington. When they reached 
'Grade City, which metropolis consisted of a 
general store, a stave mill, a church and school 
house and a dozen dwellings, and were still 
without a trace of their ^ ‘ Champion Mys- 
tery, ’ ’ — Paul ’s words — they turned back. 

The direct road to Middle Eun turned off to 
the right before the Tagg farm was reached, 
and this route the boys followed. Had they 
known the pleasant thoughts Mr.Tagg was en- 
joying and how they would have been upset had 
the old fellow seen them returning, they would 
certainly have been tempted to take the road 
leading past his establishment. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


359 


Eeacliing Middle Kun, the friends left their 
car near the grocery graced by Spike Marble’s 
presence. The machine always attracted the 
villagers and to leave it standing in front of 
’Squire Widden’s place of business would only 
draw a larger attendance at their hearing. 

That there was a sufficient audience without 
such advertising as would have been afforded 
by the Thirty standing before the small frame 
structure where the ’Squire held forth, the 
boys soon learned. The office was half filled 
with loiterers there before them. Constable 
Barlow had simply whispered to his friends, 
and they in turn notified theirs. 

The ’Squire was making a great effort to be 
occupied with his papers when the boys entered ; 
but he put his various documents away 
promptly. Indeed it was evident that he was 
expecting the four youths who now marched 
soberly up to his desk. 

‘‘Oh I” said Mr. Widden. “I had almost for- 
gotten you. One, two, — four, — where’s the 


360 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


other one? Barlow, ain’t there five names in 
that warrant?” 

The constable said there were five. ’Squire 
Widden again counted the youthful figures be- 
fore him. 

^^The other is a friend of ours who has gone 
away. We don’t know just where,” put in Phil 
quietly. 

’Squire Widden frowned. It would never do, 
he said. 

‘‘You see the little chipmunk up and ran 
away yesterday, and for no reason whatever,” 
spoke up Paul Jones, briskly. “He went before 
we ever heard of this business, — not because he 
wanted to get away from the music.” 

“He’ll have to appear,” said Justice Widden 
with emphasis,. Perhaps he did not place much 
faith in Paul’s statement. 

“We’ll have him in here as soon as we can 
find him, ’ ’ said Phil. 

“You see what you can do about finding this 
young man, Barlow,” said the justice of the 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


361 


peace with some asperity and a glance toward 
the audience. 

The constable said he would do as requested. 
Moreover, he expressed the opinion that he 
would do it all in a very complete and compre- 
hensive manner. Like his judicial superior, he 
seemed inclined to the opinion that the person 
styled ^‘John Doe,’’ in the warrant, had some 
very good reason of his own for not putting in 
an appearance. 

^‘We only hope you will find him,” said Billy 
Worth, noting the constable’s manner. And 
then, as it had been understood that nothing 
would be done today but receive the pleas of 
‘^not guilty,” ’Squire Widden wrote them down 
in his record. 

He cautioned the boys they would certainly 
make a mistake in trying to shield the fifth mem- 
ber of their party, then told them they might 
go without other bond than their own word. 

Once more the boys assured the magistrate 
that nothing would give them greater pleasure 
than to have John Doe” with them when they 


362 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


came again. Hoping truly that they might do 
so, they hurried away and to the Thirty in wait- 
ing. 

At their request, Spike Marble wrapped up a 
liberal supply of boned herring, crackers, 
cheese, ginger snaps and bananas, and with 
these provisions to serve for their noonday 
meal the lads set out once more in the machine. 
Driving here and there, hoping from hour to 
hour that at the next house, or at the next ham- 
let or village, or on the next road, at least, they 
would find some word, some trace of the missing 
Bright Eyes, they consumed the long summer 
afternoon in their fruitless search for the little 
lad. 

‘‘But you canT tell, — maybe we will be glad 
he’s gone when we get word from Floraville,” 
said Billy Worth. “Just suppose, for instance, 
that we hear from ihere that he’s crooked. 
We’ll be tickled to pieces that we got rid of him 
so easily.” 

“Not till we get those papers back!” put in 
Paul, with emphasis. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 363 

‘‘Oh, hush! Hush up! I’m just about 
ashamed of you ! ’ ’ Phil declared. ‘ ‘ Whether we 
find Jack or don’t find him, he’s a good, square 
scout, now you take my word for that! And 
if they write us that he’s not, I just propose 
that we go to Floraville before vacation ends 
and unravel the whole mystery; for there is 
one, and the more so, too, if they say he ’s any- 
thing but straight.” 

No success whatever crowned the search of 
the roads and rural hamlets to the east, west 
and north of Middle Eun — (the Lannington 
road was south) — though the odometer showed 
the car to have made more than one hundred 
miles since morning. 

With fifteen miles between them and the old 
farmhouse the boys turned toward their quar- 
ters there shortly before sundown. As they 
went through the village, a telegram was found 
at the grocery, — it was addressed in care of 
Marble — stating that Daniel Dilworth, Mr. 
Worth, Mr. MacLester, Mr. Wilby and Dr. Way 
would all reach Middle Run next morning. 


364 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


This was pleasing news, though unfortunate 
too — unfortunate because the boys were sorry 
to feel that, all on their account, the expense and 
trouble had been considered necessary. Yet the 
presence of their elders would certainly help 
their case. And they were confident that, if the 
means of showing the object of their breaking 
up the post could be forcefully presented, they 
would not be found guilty. They could show 
their action to have been in no way malicious 
or idly mischievous. They were willing now to 
admit it might be called a mis-judging of their 
rights. 

That the papers the old post contained would 
be most important evidence, the lads were well 
aware. These would prove their contention 
that they were not wilfully destructive in break- 
ing up the property. Without the papers, how- 
ever, of course, Mr. Tagg would say, ^‘Fol-de- 
rol ! A pretty fairy tale to tell the court !’’ and 
deny their story. 

Had they depended upon themselves alone, 
the four friends would probably have succeeded 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


365 


in making a good, strong case in their own be- 
half in Justice Widden^s court; but the prob- 
abilities are — ^who knows? In view of all that 
happened afterward, it was certainly better for 
all that Dan Dilworth was present to look out 
for his clients’ interests. 

With all their troubles, with all the weight 
upon their minds, the four boys were very glad 
to turn the car into the drive at the Beaman 
place. They were glad -to eat supper — a rather 
meager one, though it was, — and glad to get to 
bed. A brief survey had seemed to show noth- 
ing disturbed in their absence, and they donned 
their night clothes, rightly concluding that 
Jonas Tagg and his adherents, — Sam Carew 
and Joe Kalie included, — were content to rest 
on their oars in anticipation of a great triumph 
in ’Squire Widden’s court next day. 

As for Mr. Tagg himself, at this time, his 
satisfaction in the belief that the Auto Boys 
had been frightened away was short-lived, after 
all. At noon came Constable Barlow to notify 
him that he must appear as the prosecuting wit- 


366 


THE AUTO HOTS’ OUTING 


ness, next day at ten o’clock. The additional 
information that the yonng defendants had tele- 
phoned to Lannington for an attorney caused 
the old gentleman both uneasiness and indig- 
nation. 

He would have to get a lawyer to assist him 
in the prosecution, he decided; but it was like 
deciding he would have to cut a finger otf. It 
would be hard to imagine anyone so meanly 
reluctant to part with money as was Jonas 
Tagg. 

To the county seat a dozen miles away Mr. 
Tagg drove during the afternoon, however, and 
obtained a lawyer. Just such an attorney as one 
would expect a man of Tagg’s calibre to have, 
too, did he get. 

The name of this choice of his was Eiblet. 
And the first act Mr. Eiblet had performed in a 
decade, which might properly be said to call for 
public approval, was in wringing five dollars 
from Mr. Tagg as a retainer. The old fellow 
yielded the money just about as willingly as 
a hungry dog would yield a nice, meaty bone. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


367 


we’ll fix ’em, Tagg! We’ll make Wid- 
den drive ’em out of the country if tJiat^s what 
you want, and in a hurry, too ! ’ ’ Mr. Kiblet as- 
sured his client. He screwed his coarse, 
bearded face into a horrible grin as he spoke. 
He had no notion that he could accomplish what 
he promised; but he had the five-dollar bill in 
his pocket now and later would charge as large 
a fee as he believed he could collect. All of 
which tends to show that talk of honor among 
thieves and their like is mostly bosh ; which, as 
a matter of fact, it is. 

Mr. Tagg went home bemoaning the parting 
with his five dollars, as might be expected. He 
promised himself, though, that if Eiblet did not 
secure a conviction and a sentence, which would 
immediately rid him of his unwelcome neigh- 
bors, that learned lawyer would get not a penny 
more than the retainer advanced, let him charge 
what he might. 

So drooping was Mr. Tagg over the whole 
matter that he devoutly wished he had never 
caused the warrant to be issued. He never 


368 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


would have done so had he seen at the time just 
one day into the future. He knew more now 
than he knew then — much more. Yet, he re- 
flected, maybe the arrest was the best thing 
after all. Or, he thought again, maybe it wasn’t. 

It was a puzzling question. Perhaps it was to 
think it all over that the old fellow sat far into 
the night in the dismal, fireless kitchen of his 
home. Perhaps it was to think it over further 
that some time after daybreak, but before any- 
one was stirring, he hurried away and crept 
through the lanes down into his woods. 

But why should he kindle a fire in the fur- 
nace of his sugar house — the very sugar house 
he had asked his young neighbors to occupy? 
Why did he hurry out, a few minutes later, clos- 
ing the rough door behind him carefully, and 
glancing about feverishly at the creaking of the 
rusty hinges? Why his haste to be away and 
why the frightened, sneaking manner with 
which he went through the woods and the lane 
to his home again? 


CHAPTER XXni 


THE HOUR BEFORE TRAIN TIME 

Although they well knew the train from Lan- 
nington would not arrive until nine o ^clock, and 
that the trial before ’Squire Widden was still 
an hour later, the four boys left for Middle Run 
at seven. In their anxiety and excitement they 
even had felt time would not possibly permit 
of their usual morning plunge — scarcely permit 
of more than a hasty breakfast. 

They dressed with more than usual care. 
Knowing the importance of a neat, clean ap- 
pearance at any time, but especially so when 
they would be under scrutiny as they would 
today, each lad put on his Sunday attire. A 
quartette of clean, manly, intelligent young fel- 
lows they were as they walked up to the village 
station. 

It was still nearly two hours before the train 
was due, but they dreaded to be late. The auto- 

869 


370 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


mobile, for the reasons prompting a similar 
action the day before, had been left in a shed 
back of the grocery. 

It was a beautiful morning, though the heat 
of the early sun gave promise of becoming un- 
comfortably warm as the day advanced. As 
Paul Jones observed, it was a shame — a ‘‘meas- 
ley shame” were the words he used — that ju^t 
at a time when the car would be so comfortable 
they must contemplate being penned up in the 
stuffy, little building which comprised Justice 
Widden’s office. 

One consolation, however, was that the boys 
saw no reason to believe the trial would last 
long. Somehow their own sense of right and 
justice would not let them believe, either, that 
the decision would be against them. Yet they 
realized it might be. A great deal must depend 
on Justice Widden himself. As to this, it was 
certain that if Mr. Dilworth discovered the 
^Squire ^s sympathies to be noticeably with Mr. 
Tagg, he would demand a trial by jury. 

Mr. Ambler, proprietor of the grocery, other- 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


371 


wise dominated by Mr. Spike Marble, had sug- 
gested this thought. He was decidedly friendly 
to the Auto Boys. 

Not only with regard to the trial but also con- 
cerning the stolen papers were the four friends 
anxious to talk with Mr. Dilworth and those 
from home. They hoped to find some means of 
going about the recovery of those records. Per- 
haps some search of the Tagg place could be 
made. Perhaps Sam Carew and his friend 
Kalie could in some manner be put under oath 
or in some other stern fashion be made to tell 
what they knew of them. Perhaps some posi- 
tive plan for finding Bright Eyes could be de- 
veloped. 

But all these were matters for later consid- 
eration. Just now the absolutely unaccountable 
manner in which time dragged on was of itself 
a problem and a hardship. Even the morning 
paper which had arrived earlier, helped but 
little. Who could read base ball news with any 
interest or satisfaction at such a time, anyway? 

It was eight o ^clock and only an hour to wait 


372 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


remained. Then something happened; some- 
thing happened which occupied that hour so 
fully the boys wondered to find time to have 
flown so rapidly. 

‘‘Say! Somebody down to the hotel wants 
you quick exclaimed the general handy man 
from the village hostelry, rushing into the sta- 
tion breathlessly. He was a youth of eighteen 
or so, and if he had any other name than ‘ ‘ Tid- 
dledewinks’’ the Auto Boys had not heard it. 
He was stable man, messenger, bell-boy, bag- 
gage-man and a great many other factors rolled 
into one for the Middle Eun House. 

“ Ye ’re wanted right otf I Don ’t ye hear me ? 
Lady sent me on the run ! Her and a man was 
just goin’ to drive out where you’re stayin’, 
when I told her I seen ye go by a bit ago. Her 
and the man just got in on the train south, this 
mornin’ !” 

And having imparted this information in 
breathless haste Tiddledewinks called, “Come 
on, quick, now!” in a way that brooked no dis- 
cussion. Then away he rushed again. Truly 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTINO 


373 


it is remarkable how mnch a tip of twenty-five 
cents will do in some places, compared with how 
little it does in some others. 

Not a little mystified the Anto Boys, march- 
ing by twos, reached the hotel. Tiddlede winks, 
motioning frantically to them to hnrry, waited 
on the veranda and led them to the close, 
sparsely furnished room which by someone ^s 
bright imagination had been named the parlor. 

As the boys entered there arose to meet them 
a strikingly beautiful woman. She was tall and 
dark, her manner so queenly that the imperious 
arch of her brows, the pride in her delicately 
curved lips, could scarcely add to the command- 
ing atmosphere seeming to surround her. 

No need to ask who this lovely lady could be. 
No need to inquire where, many times before, 
the like of those magnificent eyes, the soft curve 
of cheeks, the proud lines of nose and chin and 
arching brows had been seen. There could be 
no mistaking them. And when she said, which 
she did at once, ‘‘I am Roger Comfort Fal win’s 
mother,” she told nothing the four boys had not 


374 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


immediately known, save only the name of their 
missing friend. 

The lady’s voice was low, but full and sweet, 
though its note of sadness was very noticeable, 
too. She was dressed, as if for traveling, in a 
suit of some rich brown material ; bnt it was her 
expression and her manner rather than her 
handsome face and rich attire which so plainly 
indicated high station and gentility. 

‘‘I am Eoger Comfort Falwin’s mother,” the 
lady said. ‘^Do you know something of my 
boy? Did you not write to Floraville regarding 
him?” 

And having spoken thus far with tears in her 
voice only, the mother of Little Mystery re- 
strained the tears in her eyes no longer. Quickly 
motioning the boys to be seated, she also sat 
down, then cried as if her heart were breaking. 

At this juncture a gentleman who had risen 
and stood beside the lady when first the boys 
entered, and who, evidently, was Eoger Comfort 
Falwin’s father, put his arm about her and 
begged her to compose herself. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


376 


Never was Phil Way so utterly unable to use 
his tongue. Never before had Paul Jones been 
so completely upset that he was too timid to 
speak a word. Billy Worth it was who managed 
to respond. Quickly he saw that news of the 
young stranger’s recent disappearance must be 
broken gently: 

‘Wes’m; Eoger’s been staying with us at a 
farm over by the river. We didn’t know his 
name or where he lived. Maybe the letter we 
wrote to Ninth and One-Half street was sent to 
you. We didn’t know what his name was, you 
see.” 

‘^He is with you now? At least at your 
home?” the gentleman asked quickly, while he 
still held his arm about the mother and whis- 
pered to her to be calm, — assuring her the boy 
was found, — assuring her she would see him 
soon. 

^‘Oh, he’s been with us a couple of weeks,” 
answered Billy, as cheerily as he could ; but his 
heart was not in his manner and the lady in- 
stantly noticed. 


376 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Where is he now? WTiere is Eoger now? 
Tell me — tell me he isnT far from here!’’ she 
pleaded, and even in the midst of tears and sobs 
her bearing marked her sweet refinement. 

^‘Well, yon see, — perhaps yon better tell how 
we happened to pick him np, Phil,” yonng Mr. 
Worth answered, with some confnsion, bnt with 
a significant look toward Way. 

Phil fonnd his voice, with this appeal, and 
with all eyes tnrned toward him, he began by 
telling of the first appearance of Bright Eyes 
as a member of the onting party. He did not 
mention the incident of the license tag bnt hnr- 
ried on to the manner in which the toothbrnsh 
had been fonnd and the etforts made to learn 
the boy’s identity. 

In silence and with deepest interest the father 
and mother of the Boy listened to Way’s re- 
cital ; heard him tell how bright and cheerfnl the 
little chap was at times, and how down-cast he 
wonld often be ; heard snch of the facts of the 
strange experiences accompanying the onting at 
the old farmhouse as concerned the youngster, 


TEE AVTO BOYS’ OUTING 


377 


excepting only the probability that, in going 
away, he had taken with him certain valuable 
papers. 

‘‘Bnt we are certain he cannot be far — snre 
all of ns can now find him. He was scared, you 
see, that^s all!’’ Phil concluded hopefully, his 
eyes gleaming with new life. 

^‘Why, yes, my dear, now you must have 
courage/^ said Mr. Palwin to Mrs. Falwin. 
‘‘We’re on the right track, at last! We’ll find 
him! Even before evening, maybe, we shall 
have Roger right in our arms and sound as a 
dollar!” 

Mrs. Falwin was greatly comforted and 
greatly encouraged; but she was greatly disap- 
pointed, too, when she learned that by reason 
of a very pressing matter in the court of J ustice 
Widden, the nature of which was qui^ly ex- 
plained, the Auto Boys would not be abll-to join 
immediately in further search for her si^. Yet 
her eyes were quite dry now and her manner 
quite composed. She thanked the lafs most 
gratefully, and as she again solicited their aid 


378 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


in the further search for Bright Eyes, she 
added : 

‘^And although you have been too polite to 
ask when and why Eoger ran away, I am sure 
you will wish to know and I do wish to tell you — 
how your letter came as the first ray of sunshine 
in many and many a long, bleak day and night 
while we searched everywhere and found not 
one hopeful trace. 

‘‘I am sure you will understand how Eoger 
left us, — understand how almost heart-broken 
his mother has been, when I tell you about it 
all, for you say you liked him. No one could 
help liking Eoger, though. He is such a good 
boy and it is all his unhappy mother’s fault that 
he would not tell you so much as his name. Oh ! 
My poor, little sweetheart, how could I have 
spoken so?” 

Mrs. Falwin cried softly for a few seconds, 
holding her handkerchief to her eyes while her 
husband comforted her as before. When she 
again recovered her composure she told the 
four friends how simple, yet how tragic, a little 


THE AUTO B0Y8^ OUTING 


379 


incident had cansed Bright Eyes to turn his 
steps away from home, more injured in spirit, 
undoubtedly, than he could possibly have been 
by the severest of bodily punishment. 

It had been more than three weeks ago, that, 
looking from the window of their home in Flora- 
ville one afternoon, Mrs. Falwin saw Eoger 
quarreling with another boy. At the same 
moment a sister of the neighbor lad came up, 
urging them to stop, and trying to separate 
them when they did not. Before Mrs. Falwin 
could speak a fist shot out and the blow so 
stunned the little girl she fell. 

Filled with indignation that a child of hers 
should do so vile a thing, Mrs. Falwin, who by 
this time had reached the scene, commanded 
Roger to follow her into the house. Never yet 
had he disobeyed, and when she had seated her- 
self he stood before her, ready to hear the 
sentence. 

am heartily ashamed of you! You dis- 
grace yourself, your parents and the name you 
bear ! ’ ^ the mother said. 


380 


TEE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


^ ^ He called me ^ compfy V the youngster an- 
swered. 

‘^But you — you, almost a grown-up boy! You 
who ought to be a gentleman! To strike a 
girl!’’ 

didn’t do it.” 

‘‘Gentlemen never contradict their elders, — 
certainly not ladies!” the mother coldly an- 
swered. ‘ ‘ What shall I expect next f You make 
me ashamed that anyone should know your 
name. You make me ashamed that anyone 
should know you are my son or your father’s 
son or even that you live in our home. Thor- 
oughly ashamed! And to think people must 
know you are my son ! I would far rather have 
no boy!” 

The flash of pride and spirit in Eoger’s eyes, 
the setting firm of his young lips were no new 
thing. "When his mother saw them and saw him 
turn and walk quickly away, she believed he 
would come, as often he had done before, when 
his heat of passion passed and ask forgive- 
ness. She sat a long time sadly musing, grieved 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


381 


and pained that the pride of her heart should 
have so far forgotten her teachings as to raise 
a hand against one of the gentler sex. 

A caller came, taking attention to other mat- 
ters for a time. But when the guest was gone 
and the mother made inquiry of the maid if 
Eoger had been seen, the answer was that he 
had not. The evening meal was served and still 
no boy appeared. Mr. Falwin set out to search 
and long afterward returned, having found no 
trace whatever. 

Thoroughly alarmed, both parents and their 
friends traversed the city and its surroundings 
the whole night through. They made anxious 
inquiry at every possible place where the boy 
might be. It was all with no success. 

Several days of feverish anxiety and unrest 
followed. At last came word that a boy answer- 
ing to Eoger ^s description had been seen among 
a band of gypsies who, some time earlier, had 
been encamped in the city’s outskirts. Still 
other days of alternate despair and hope passed 
by while the gypsy band was being traced and 


382 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

at last discovered, a great many miles distant. 

But again came disappointment. The boy 
who had asked if he could not join them, — so 
they declared — had suddenly left them one day 
as they camped at the roadside. They had 
searched a long time for him, but meeting with 
no success, journeyed on. 

The wretched band of wanderers was sus- 
pected of having concealed the boy to demand a 
ransom or for some other purpose. More time 
was lost by the half-crazed parents in entreat- 
ing them to give them back their son at any 
price ; and when this failed, in invoking the law 
against them. 

Then came dreary days when no word or clue 
of any kind which might be followed relieved 
the dreadful suspense. At last came the letter 
of the Auto Boys to the F. & S. concern of Ninth 
and One-Half street, and the immediate placing 
of that communication in the hands of Mr. and 
Mrs. Falwin. In haste they found the location 
of Middle Eun and so had come by the first 
train to that isolated little village. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 383 

‘‘He never but once, I think, so much as let 
us guess that he had any home anywhere. It 
was when he had a sudden fall one day and 
spoke before he thought,” said Phil. “And we 
all of us learned never to ask about such things, 
for he was ready to leave us any time we did. 
We knew he was a good boy, and we can find 
him again, I’m sure. He’ll be glad!*^ 

And his mother would be glad, too, and his 
father no less so. And both the more because 
of something Mrs. Falwin now added to her 
story. With a mother’s pride she told, though 
it made her cry more than before to do so, how 
she had found the next day after Roger’s dis- 
appearance that not he, as she had supposed, 
but the neighbor boy had struck the latter’s sis- 
ter. The girl told this and her brother con- 
firmed it. 

“Well, it just shows the trouble a girl can 
make,” put in Paul Jones, very seriously, 
anxious to say something comforting. 

Paul had been quiet a long time; but even 
when Phil shook his head at him, with deep 


384 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


significance, he did not realize he might better 
have remained so. 

And one reason Jack — weVe called him that 
because we had no other name, Mrs. Falwin. 
One reason he was frightened when Sam Carew 
spoke to him so was becanse Carew called him 
^ Jolly Eoger.’ He thought his name had been 
found out, I think,’’ said Billy Worth. 

A wheel-barrow rattled along the roughly 
paved brick sidewalk. ‘‘That train’s in, fel- 
lows I There’s Uncle Sid and the mail,” ob- 
served Dave MacLester with some anxiety. 

At these words referred to the wheel-barrow, 
on which was a pile of mail sacks, and to the 
stoop-shouldered old gentleman who trundled 
that conveyance in the service of the great 
United States government, all present looked 
out. 

Even as they did so, the boys beheld the great 
frame of Dan Dilworth, the lawyer, accompan- 
ied by Messrs. Worth, Wilby, MacLester and 
Dr. Way just at the hotel steps. Mr. Dilworth 
was mopping his bright, ruddy face with an ex- 
ceedingly large pocket handkerchief, as usual. 


CHAPTER XXIY 


A DAY OP INCIDENTS IN MIDDLE RUN 

The cramped quarters combining ’Squire 
Widden’s court room and office were crowded. 
Every available seat was occupied and wedged 
around the wall were as many villagers as could 
possibly find space or press their way in 
through the mass of old men, young men and 
boys who packed the entrance and surged out- 
side the doorway. 

Justice Widden peremptorily ordered Con- 
stable Barlow to clear passage and keep open 
the little aisle between the two lots of nonde- 
script chairs and benches occupied by specta- 
tors. The constable rather bashfully, but with 
evident relish, too, asserted his authority. A 
murmur of excitement followed. 

Piloted by Mr. Dil worth’s great frame — ^his 
heavy step fairly shook the little building — the 
four young defendants entered. They marched 

385 


386 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

quietly forward, followed by Mr. and Mrs. Fal- 
win, John Wilby and the fathers of Phil, Billy 
and Dave, to the railing enclosing ’Squire Wid- 
den’s desk, the space for counsel, witnesses and, 
when occasion required, the jury. 

There were not enough chairs for all, but the 
’Squire himself soon remedied this difficulty by 
shooing away a lot of boys from their seats in 
the forefront. The youngsters yielded their 
chairs gracefully enough, and Justice Widden 
lifted them over the low railing ; but every boy 
took great care to retain his place, though left 
standing. They did not intend their two hours ’ 
wait should go for nothing. 

Mr. Dilworth shook hands cordially with Jus- 
tice Widden, as did also the other members of 
the party, the four boys excepted. Then the 
lawyer for the defense shook hands rather 
coldly with Mr. Eiblet, counsel for the prosecu- 
tion, and cast a searching look toward Jonas 
Tagg, with whom he did not shake hands. 

Mr. Tagg was noticeably nervous. He had 
honored the occasion by replacing his rubber 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


387 


boots with others of leather. In place of his 
usual faded blue overalls, he wore green cor- 
duroy trousers. They were pulled down over 
his boot-tops but, being a trifle short, stopped 
four or five inches above his ankles. His check- 
ered gingham shirt and a vest or waistcoat of 
antique seersucker completed his attire, for he 
wore no coat. As has been remarked earlier, 
the day was warm. 

As Mr. Tagg folded and unfolded his arms, 
hitched his chair forward, hitched his chair 
back, and manifested other symptoms of being 
ill at ease, he cast frequent glances toward Jus- 
tice Widden. Sam Carew and Joe Kalie, who 
sat with him, were more occupied with watch- 
ing the crowd back of them. Now and again 
they nodded knowingly toward youngsters of 
their acquaintance, as much as to say, Just you 
wait and see what happens.’^ 

The Auto Boys and their friends were natur- 
ally the objects of the crowd’s chief interest. 
There was much nudging and much inquiring 
concerning Mr. and Mrs. Falwin. Both being 


388 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


entire strangers in the village, there was a vast 
extent of conjecture as to their identity. Some 
had them an aunt and uncle of one or more of 
the four friends; some thought otherwise, and 
all made very positive declarations in support 
of their various views. Of course none of them 
was entirely right; but what matter? 

Mr. Dilworth had thought it best to have the 
parents of the missing John Doe” of the war- 
rant present in case that young gentleman’s 
identity and absence should call for testimony. 
All in all, indeed, the old lawyer was disposed 
to look grave over a number of features of the 
charges against his friends. They had commit- 
ted an unlawful act. That he could not deny. 
By their own testimony they might appear to 
justify themselves in some degree. If the miss- 
ing papers could be used to incriminate Jonas 
Tagg to some extent, the outcome could hardly 
be unfavorable. 

As matters stood, however, Mr. Dilworth 
would commit himself as to the probable de- 
cision neither one way nor another. The most 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


389 


he did say was his remark in answer to a ques- 
tion from Mrs. Falwin: ^‘No, I shall object to 
any adjournment for noon, if there is a likeli- 
hood of the case being finished in reasonable 
time. ’ ’ 

The stir of expectancy in the little room 
passed to perfect quiet as, without formality, 
’Squire Widden announced the court opened, 
and called the case of the State vs. Wm. Worth, 
Philip Way, David MacLester, Paul Jones and 
Koger Comfort Falwin. 

It was at Mr. Falwin ’s own request that this 
name had been substituted for ‘^John Doe.” 
He wanted no one to believe his son was trying 
to evade punishment or deny participation in 
the act charged against his companions. 

A wave of excitement passed through the 
court room as many of the spectators recog- 
nized the name of the boy about whose disap- 
pearance there had been a great deal in the city 
newspapers nearly a month earlier. Then 
someone whispered that the charge against the 
Auto Boys had been changed to that of stealing 


390 THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 

the youngster away. Like the puffing of powder 
the rumor passed to every part of the room. 

“Well, maybe Middle Run ain’t on the map 
some today,” observed the near-assistant post- 
master-general, as he heard the report. “But 
I don’t believe that talk, though. I don’t believe 
those boys ever deserved to be arrested, no- 
how.” 

Straining ears, eyes and necks to hear and to 
see, the crowd became quiet instantly, as the 
lawyers for the prosecution and for the defense 
briefly stated to the court their respective sides 
of the case to be heard. 

Mr. Tagg was called to the witness stand. 
He said he had tried to be friendly to the boys 
who, for a time, had become his neighbors. 
They, on the other hand, he declared, had been 
mischievous, impudent and even abusive. The 
hitching post which they carried away and 
broke up, he said, he valued very highly. He 
had no doubt that simple malice and wicked- 
ness prompted the removal and destruction of 
the property. 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


391 


Then Daniel Dilworth, Esq., in the cross-ex- 
amination of the witness gave Mr. Tagg the 
most uncomfortable ten minutes of his whole 
life. The latter stuck to his original statements, 
for the most part, but contradicted himself a 
score of times when asked, in different ways, 
concerning the real ownership of the cement 
post. 

‘^As a matter of fact, you more than half 
imagined the Beaman place belonged to you, 
didnT youT’ growled Mr. Dilworth in that 
gruffly honest, deep voice of his. 

The crowd tittered and Mr. Tagg hung his 
head sheepishly. He was allowed to leave the 
stand without answering. 

Sam Carew and Joe Kalie were examined. 
Their testimony was merely that they had found 
the fragments of the post concealed back of the 
woodshed at the Beaman place. They had 
no doubt, each in turn declared, that malice 
prompted the destruction of the property. They 
knew the Auto Boys disliked Mr. Tagg, they 
said, and had been anxious to injure him. 


392 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


The testimony of these two model youths was 
made by Mr. Dilworth to appear very silly 
indeed when he cross-examined them. Their 
story, that they had originally gone to the Bea- 
man house searching for the stone post, was 
shown to be false. Both witnesses, under the 
keen questioning of Mr. Dilworth, admitted that 
they only chanced to find the broken fragments 
while rummaging about the premises in the ab- 
sence of the occupants. They had gone back 
later to identify the pieces of the cement work 
more fully when Mr. Tagg discovered the post 
to be missing from its accustomed place in his 
front yard. 

Still another point of much value to the Auto 
Boys, developed in the cross-examination of 
Carew, was that Mr. Tagg had gone to the Bea- 
man place to see the remnants of the post dur- 
ing the afternoon of the day in question. As 
Sam made this admission the person named was 
far from pleased; but catching Justice Wid- 
den’s eye, he winked in a leering sort of way, 
as if to say, ‘‘Don’t pay any attention to such 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 393 

talk.’^ Justice Widden frowned and looked 
away. 

Mr. Dilworth saw what took place and, quite 
to the surprise of all who knew him, actually 
smiled. But he was thinking his own thought, 
was Mr. Dilworth — deep and knowing student 
of men and of minds, Dan Dilworth. 

Before the taking of testimony for the de- 
fense began, Mr. Eiblet appealed to the court 
to have all the chief witnesses for that side ex- 
cluded from the room, and called one at a time. 
His motion was allowed, of course, as is often 
customary. Still he went through a great many 
violent gestures and spoke in a very loud voice 
for some time afterward. Perhaps he wanted 
to impress upon Jonas Tagg the fact of his 
doing a great deal to earn his fee. 

In charge of Constable Barlow, Phil, Billy 
and Dave were taken through a side door to 
wait in the shade of an old evergreen in ’Squire 
Widden ’s dooryard while Paul testified. 

Mr. Dilworth brought out at once in Jones’ 
amination the fact of the boys having discov- 


394 TBE auto BOYS’ OUTING 

ered the meaning of the queer figures burned on 
Grandfather Beaman’s wooden leg. The inter- 
est of the crowd in this testimony was marked. 
It was still greater, however, when Paul Jones 
went on to tell of the search for the stone post. 
This he did, but he told nothing of the capture- 
of Dan Kalie in the attic. Mr. Dilworth had 
preferred not to enter into that feature of the 
case -unless it should be found necessary. The 
point he did have Paul make strong was that 
it was for the purpose of recovering the lost 
papers, known to be there, that the post was 
removed. 

For his own part Paul would have told quite 
cheerfully all that had been learned from the 

ghost” Mr. Tagg had sent to the Beaman 
place, and it was not to save either Kalie or 
J onas Tagg, himself, that Mr. Dilworth did not 
permit it. He had other things in mind and he 
had no wish to let the most excellent Tagg know 
how much he knew, and how much he suspected 
— at least not yet. 

‘‘Where are the papers you found, at the 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


395 


present timeT’ Mr. Dilworth asked as the ex- 
amination proceeded. 

Paul answered that they had been taken away 
from the Beaman place but he did not know 
by whom. think — ’’ he started to say. 

Never mind what you think. It is not evi- 
dence,” said Mr. Dilworth. Then presently 
Paul was turned over to Mr. Riblet for cross- 
examination. 

Mr. Tagg^s legal representative undertook at 
once to ridicule the whole story of any papers 
whatever having been found in the old post. 
He did not, however, materially shake the boy’s 
testimony on this point or others. Still — 
Where are those papers you say were 
found?” he demanded for the sixth or seventh 
time. 

don’t know,” was the answer. 

‘^No, I’ll warrant you, you don’t;” were the 
comments of Mr. Riblet. 

He grinned like a jack o’ lantern; perhaps 
with really less expression than one cleverly 
made. Mr. Tagg, on the other hand, was more 


396 THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 

fidgety than ever. Devoutly he wished he were 
some place else. 

In turn Phil Way, Billy Worth and Dave Mac- 
Lester were called to the stand. Their testi- 
mony supported Paul ’s at every point. As each 
was excused he was allowed to remain, and all 
were present, therefore, when John Wilby was 
called to confirm the evidence submitted regard- 
ing strange characters having been burned on 
the wooden leg. 

^‘We will produce this artificial limb for the 
court’s examination,” said Mr. Dilworth, “if 
its existence or the significance of the marks it 
bears are disputed. If they are admitted, some 
time will be saved, as, unfortunately, the exhibit 
was not at hand when the case was called. ’ ’ 

Mr, Eiblet sneeringly said it was too warm a 
day to go into fairy tales. 

“Maybe it ain’t reg’lar, but the court will go 
so far as to say that this court saw the departed 
Benjamin Beaman’s wooden leg and saw the 
figures burned into it, long enough ago,” put 
in Justice Widden. “This court, then, will 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


397 


admit their existence without seein^ ^em further, 
an’ save time thereby.” 

Mr. Dilworth nodded his approval of the 
court’s remarks. Mr. Eiblet put on an expres- 
sion of doubt and contempt — chiefly for Mr. 
Tagg’s benefit, unquestionably. 

As to the general character of the Auto Boys, 
and their behavior in the neighborhood, several 
witnesses were called for a few words each. Mr. 
Fifer, Spike Marble and the near-assistant post- 
master-general were among them. Without ex- 
ception they spoke highly of the defendants. 
Their testimony was made even stronger by the 
sneering comments of Mr. Eiblet in the cross- 
examinations. 

The arguments of the lawyers were all that 
remained to be heard. The stuify little court 
room was exceedingly close and warm and the 
audience by this time was densely packed in the 
limited space. It would appear that half of 
Middle Eun’s population was present. News 
of the interesting nature of the testimony had 
spread rapidly. 


398 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


Justice Widden ordered a passage cleared to 
the door again, to admit air, and Mr. Eiblet be- 
gan his remarks. In but a minute or two he 
succeeded in working himself into a great heat. 
With extremely loud talk, terrific swinging of 
his arms and banging of his fists upon the table 
before him, he was making a great impression 
on Mr. Tagg, at least. 

In extreme violence of language Mr. Eiblet 
denounced the Auto Boys for coming into this 
peaceful, law-abiding community,’’ as he said, 
^‘upsetting every law of decency and order and 
stone posts and other people’s property, gener- 
ally.” Mr. Tagg seemed really to enjoy it very 
much. 

Don’t tell me,” thundered Mr. Eiblet with a 
terrific whack upon the table, don’t tell me that 
it wasn’t cussedness and — and — maliciousness 
that was at the bottom of this — this — outrage 
that has been perpetrated! Papers? After 
papers were they? After some papers in a 
stone post! Bah! It’s enough to disgust a 
thinking man! If they were after papers — If 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


399 


they were after papers, where are those papers 
now? I want to know! Why don^t they pro- 
duce that wooden leg? WTiy don’t they produce 
them there papers? WThere are they?” 

guess these are the ones!” came a good, 
strong, boyish voice suddenly at the doorway, 
and there came Bright Eyes, — Little Mystery — 
Eoger Comfort Falwin, — marching quickly 
down the aisle, holding up the round tin box, as 
if to hand it over to the extremely astonished 
Mr. Eiblet himself. 

These are the papers that were — ” the 
dusty and dirty but still attractive boy spoke 
up again, but before he could say more his 
mother had seized him in her arms. 

Instantly all was confusion. Instantly Middle 
Eun broke into cheers. The approving yells on 
that day of victory over the Wilton base ball 
team were, by comparison, weak and spiritless. 
Almost everybody joined in, including the Auto 
Boys, of course. Dan Dilworth’s big handker- 
chief was never used more vigorously. 

Never had there been before and most prob- 


400 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


ably never will there be again such another 
scene in that office of the village magistrate in 
Middle Enn. Eegardless of the railing, regard- 
less of chairs and furniture, which were pushed 
over and tramped underfoot, the excited audi- 
ence soon surged around the lost boy, so sud- 
denly appearing in his true identity. 

Everybody was in a perfect fever of delight 
and satisfaction, apparently — everybody but 
Mr. Tagg, Mr. Eiblet and Carew and Kalie. 
Poor Sam, being accidentally knocked off his 
chair, would certainly have been injured under 
the feet of the crowd but for Mr. Dilworth. 
The latter, seeing his predicament, seized him 
by the collar and pulled the young gentleman to 
his feet with more speed than gentleness. 

Fully ten minutes passed before Lawyer Eib- 
let succeeded in getting any attention whatever 
to his violent demands for order. He had be- 
come quite savage and very red in the face — 
surely Mr. Tagg must have seen that he gave 
good measure for his money — when at last 
’Squire Widden called for quiet. The justice 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


401 


himself had shaken hands with Mr. Falwin 
three or four times in his excitement, for he 
left his bench and mingled freely among the 
crowd, before he resumed his seat. 

‘‘Since this yonng person is a defendant in 
the case. I’ll move that your Honor hear his 
testimony before the arguments of counsel are 
proceeded with further,” said Mr. Dilworth, 
when some degree of order had been restored. 

Mr. Rihlet paused long enough in an excited, 
whispered conversation with Mr. Tagg to object 
to the motion. 

Justice Widden started to speak, and Mr. 
Rihlet to listen. Mr. Tagg, however, wildly 
clutching his lawyer’s collar, drew that gentle- 
man’s head fiercely toward him to whisper 
something further. It was more than the al- 
ready severely irritated Mr. Rihlet could hear. 

“Let go my neck, you old fool! Want to 
strangle me? You leave this case to me. 
You^re all right.” 

Whatever it was that Mr. Tagg may have 
desired to say, he certainly was greatly per- 


402 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


turbed. And whether he was, or was not, ‘^all 
right, it is just possible that he was better 
able to jndge, at the moment, than was his 
learned counsel. For Mr. Tagg had not told 
his lawyer everything. It would have been very 
unlike him. 

However, Justice Widden’s ruling was that 
the testimony of John Doe,” alias Eoger Com- 
fort Falwin, should be heard. 

Still clothed in the rags in which he had gone 
away from the old farmhouse. Bright Eyes 
took the stand. In a round, clear voice he told 
the story of the breaking up of the cannon- 
shaped post, and the purpose thereof. 

But was it Little Mystery speaking? The 
Auto Boys and those of Middle Eun who knew 
him would have doubted their ears. 

Was it Eoger Comfort Falwin speaking? 
His mother, sitting near, her eyes still moist, 
restrained her emotions only by greatest effort. 
His father’s face was a picture of surprise and 
sadness mingled. For never again were they to 
hear the sweetly childish changing of S or TH 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


403 


to T or L, in their son’s words. He had gone 
away a yonng boy. He had come hack a sturdy 
youth. 

Excitement had* worked this change in Eoger 
for a fleeting moment, once before, as will be 
remembered, and as the boys told his mother 
afterward ; but now the change was permanent. 
Not once in his testimony, or later, did he re- 
vert to his lisping speech. 

‘ ^ These papers — Tell in your own way where 
you got them and how you came here with 
them,” said Mr. Hilworth, continuing the ex- 
amination. His usually grutf manner was 
quite soft and pleasant now. 

One could have heard a pin fall in the far- 
thest corner of the little room. By premonition 
the deeply interested audience seemed to Imow 
how important the statement requested would 
be. Sam Carew’s reluctant admission that Mr. 
Tagg had been at the Beaman place the day the 
papers disappeared, was still fresh in mind. 

Then Eoger told how, having decided to leave 
the Auto Boys, into whose company he had first 


404 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


come quite by chance, he remembered having 
heard Mr. Tagg make frequent mention of his 
sugar house. In a general way he knew its 
location and, slipping away, he went down along 
the river, into the woods, and so came upon 
the small building. There were berries in 
abundance for food and he remained all night 
and the day following in the woods. The second 
night, still undecided where to go, he slept in 
the sugar house. 

When morning came he was lying awake, in a 
crate that had held molasses cans, Eoger stated, 
when he heard someone enter. Somewhat 
startled, he raised himself up, and through a 
large crevice plainly saw Mr. Tagg. Keeping 
quiet, he watched. 

Mr. Tagg kindled a fire in the arch or fur- 
nace — Eoger called it the ‘ ^ fire-place. ’ ^ When 
the blaze had gained a good start, he took some- 
thing from an inner pocket and putting it in the 
fire, soon went slowly out and closed the door. 

Confident he recognized the object thus left 
to the flames, the boy waited only until Mr. 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


405 


Tagg was a few rods away, then quickly inves- 
tigated. In another moment he had snatched 
the tin box and its contents from the fire. For 
a long time following, he watched lest the 
farmer return and find him, then at last he 
crept out and followed the river to the Beaman 
place. 

To his disappointment Roger found no one at 
the old farmhouse. He waited a great while, 
though in constant fear that Mr. Tagg might 
come at any moment and find him and the box 
of papers. His hope was that the Auto Boys 
would soon return. At last he inquired of a 
stranger, driving past the house, whether he 
had seen the lads in their car. The passerby 
told him of the trial taking place and, being 
thus informed, the little lad set out for Middle 
Run. 

Thus he concluded his testimony, and thus 
had Bright Eyes reached the court room just 
as Mr. Riblet began his argument. He heard 
the missing papers mentioned, and then heard 
them loudly called for. Down the aisle he 


406 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


could see his friends. He realized that the 
records in the tin box were needed by them and 
he stepped forward. 

‘ ‘ It would hardly seem that arguments in this 
case could be anything but superfluous,” said 
Mr. Dilworth, after Mr. Eiblet, making an in- 
stant failure of an effort to destroy the strength 
of Roger’s statements, had abandoned the at- 
tempt. 

“ ’Bout the way it appears to this court,” 
Justice Widden answered dryly. 

Mr. Riblet said nothing. 

’Squire Widden added: ‘‘The defendants 
are discharged.” 

“While everybody’s here, and it is all quite 
convenient. I’ll ask for the arrest of the prose- 
cuting witness, in the case just concluded, on 
charge of larceny,” said Mr. Dilworth. “If 
your Honor will have a warrant prepared it 
may as well be served at once. ’ ’ 

“Plenty of time. Mr. Tagg won’t run away, 
I guess,” answered Justice Widden, peering 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


407 


over his glasses. ‘‘And the fact is, it’s past 
dinner time. This conrt is adjourned.” 

With what triumph Bright Eyes and the Auto 
Boys were escorted to the village hotel might 
be made the subject of an entire chapter. And 
the dingy dining-ropni of that diminutive hos- 
telry surely never contained a more pleasant 
party than they and their elders, Mr. Dilworth 
included, composed. 

There it was, that, acting on behalf of Paul 
Jones and his sister and John Wilby, Mr. Dil- 
worth looked over the records Grandfather 
Beaman had hidden away. There was no doubt, 
he declared, but the papers would prove Mr. 
Beaman to have been the owner of the land 
Jonas Tagg had claimed. He was confident the 
contents of the envelope addressed to Paul’s 
sister, which he reserved to be opened by her, 
included the actual deed to the property, never 
put on the public records. 

Mr. Tagg, it was clear, knew the deed had 
been given but had never been recorded. Yet 


408 


THE AUTO BOYS^ OUTING 


he feared the paper might still be in existence, 
and was anxions to find and destroy; it. 

That Mr. Dilworth was right may be stated 
at once. A deed to the land south of the old 
farmhouse was in the envelope bearing the 
name, ‘‘Emma Jones. 

It is pleasant to know and to tell of good for- 
tune that has come to one’s friends. It is 
pleasant to ponder upon the inestimable hap- 
piness of Paul Jones that, indirectly he and his 
chums were the means of placing his sister, her 
husband and himself in comfortable circum- 
stances, for Paul shared in the large sum real- 
ized by the sale of the land the railroad com- 
pany desired. His portion of his grandfather’s 
estate was placed in John Wilby’s hands, as his 
guardian, to provide him a thorough education. 
And he still thinks, by the way, that he will 
some day be the engineer of railway bridges 
and other great structures. 

Eejoicing in the recovery of their boy, Mr. 
and Mrs. Falwin were more grateful than words 
could express to the four friends who had cared 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTINO 


409 


for him. The tinge of sadness they must have 
felt to hear Eoger speak, not in his accustomed, 
odd lisping manner, but in a way which made 
him appear much older, would wear itself away 
in time. How sweet it was just to hear his voice 
again, no matter how he spoke! Yet it was 
pitiful, as well, when at table he told his story. 

He had gone directly to the gypsy camp 
when he left home, he said. He was sure his 
mother considered that he had disgraced her 
and the name he bore beyond amends. He was 
oh, so very sorry, but somewhat angry, too. He 
felt that to conceal his name and his home from 
all would be the only way of saving his parents 
from shame. 

One thing Roger did not tell or even under- 
stand was the part his own injured pride had 
played in his thoughts and his actions. He was 
unwilling to be considered a disgrace to his 
mother ; he wished to save her ; but he was also 
unwilling to bear unjust reproaches, or to yield 
to the better counsels of his heart. 

It was not until time and suffering had soft- 


410 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


ened his foolish pride that he began to think 
of home and then he still feared he would not 
be welcome; that he had no right to reveal to 
anyone his name. 

It was in the neighborhood of that first noon- 
day camp of the Auto Boys that Eoger slipped 
away from the gypsies. They had taken his 
clothing and all his belongings, save only a 
tooth brush. Their harsh cruelty, not only to 
himself but to each other, particularly the un- 
kind treatment of the women by the men, the 
boy also resented. He resolved to leave them 
and in the night crept into the cornfield. For 
two days he concealed himself there. 

Very likely the gypsies spent little time in 
search for the boy. They had taken all he pos- 
sessed that they valued. To keep him might 
cause them trouble. 

The automobile first interested Roger because 
of the means it offered of quickly leaving the 
gypsies behind. He feared then, and for some 
time afterward, that they would try to find and 
compel him to return. Often they had said to 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


411 


Mm, ^‘Once a gypsy, always a gypsy,’’ and lie 
was ashamed, as well as afraid, to tell the Anto 
Boys or anyone of his connection with the 
wandering band. 

It was with genuine regret that, after the en- 
tire party had spent the remainder of the day 
at the old farmhouse, the Auto Boys parted 
with Bright Eyes at the station. He in turn 
was both glad and sorry to go home. Certainly 
he was delighted to be with those whose son he 
was and to be told that he was not a disgrace 
to them, and to be in good, clean clothes again, 
too. But right cheerily did he say: “I want 
to be with the Auto Boys for their outing next 
year, the whole time, if they’ll let me.” 

And they answered, ‘^Will weT’ 

Mr. Dilworth, John Wilby, Dr. Way, Mr. 
Worth and Mr. MacLester returned to Lanning- 
ton on the evening train. It had been decided 
that, unless he made further trouble, no crim- 
inal action should be brought against Jonas 
Tagg. A civil suit to recover for the use of the 
land he had wrongfully held so long would be 


412 


THE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


brought instead, and this was subsequently 
done. 

Eich as he was, so far as money alone can 
make riches, Mr. Tagg was nearly heart- 
broken when obliged to make the settlement 
mentioned. The amount paid over to the Bea- 
man estate was a yearly rental on the land he 
had falsely claimed, for the entire time he had 
held the property, with compound interest 
added. 

In Middle Eun they are still smiling over the 
failure of the miserly old fellow’s schemes. 
Even the capture of Dan Kalie in the attic of 
the old farmhouse had become known, due to 
his own habit of talking too much, and many a 
laugh has resulted. 

Dan’s brother Joe and Sam Carew were kept 
so steadily at work while ‘‘visiting” at Mr. 
Tagg’s that they put in a claim for wages. Mr. 
Tagg, on the other hand, declared they weren’t 
worth their keep and they have never received 
a penny. Mr. Eiblet, the lawyer, keeps them 
company in this, for he is still trying to collect 


TEE AUTO BOYS’ OUTING 


413 


the fee for which he exerted himself so tre- 
mendously that day in ^Squire Widden’s court. 

In the evening of the day following the trial, 
the Auto Boys returned to the old farmhouse, 
determined to carry out the original plans for 
their outing. Thus far their time had certainly 
been occupied quite di:fferently than they orig- 
inally intended. But from now on all went well. 
Until the sixth of September they remained at 
the Beaman place, enjoying their car, enjoying 
the river, the fields and woods, and all the 
whdlesome, sound delights that nature offers. 

Here it was too, and seated on the same front 
door-steps where they had talked of so many 
other things before, that new plans began to 
shape themselves — plans which later took defin- 
ite form, and in the end assumed proportions 
that make a story in themselves — the next of 
this series, — ‘‘The Auto Boys’ Quest.” 


THE END. 


FICTION FOR BOYS 


LITTLE RHODY 


By JEAN K. BAIRD 
Illustrated hy R. G. Vosburgh 


At The Hall, a boys’ school, there is a set of boys 
known as the “Union of States,” to which admittance 
is gained by excelling in some particular the boys deem 
worthy of their mettle. 

Rush Petriken, a hunchback boy, comes to The Hall, 
and rooms with Barnes, the despair of the entire school 
because of his prowess in athletics. Petriken idolizes 
him, and when trouble comes to him, the poor crippled 
lad gladly shoulders the blame, and is expelled. But 
shortly before the end of the term he returns and is 
hailed as “little Rhody,” the “capitalest State of all.” 


CLOTH, 12 mo, illustrated, - $1.50 


BIGELOW BOYS 


Mrs. a. F. RANSOM 
Illustrated by Henry Miller 


Four boys, all bubbling over with energy and love 
of good times, and their mother, an authoress, make 
this story of a street-car strike in one of our large 
cities move with leaps and bounds. For it is due to 
the four boys that a crowded theatre car is saved from 
being wrecked, and the instigators of the plot captured. 

Mrs. Ransom is widely known by her patriotic work 
among the boys in the navy, and she now proves herself 
a friend of the lads on land by writing more especially 
for them. 


CLOTH, 12 mo, illustrated, - $1.50 
Books sent postpaid on receipt of price. 


^^'7 Sacitfietd Vxiblishing Co. 

AKRON, OHIO 



t giuyiWMrr 


The James A. Braden Books 


Far Past the Frontier 

By James A. Braden 

The sub-title, “Two Boy Pioneers,” indicates the nature of this stor^^ — 
that it has to do with the days when the Ohio Valley and the Northwest countr)'’ 
were sparsely settled. Such a topic is an unfailing fund of interest to boys, 
especially when involving a couple of stalwart young men who leave the East 
to make their fortunes and to incur untold dangers. 

“Strong, vigorous, healthy, manly .” — Seattle Times. 


Connecticut Boys in tKe Western Reserve 

By James A, Braden 

The author once more sends his heroes toward the setting sun. “In all 
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though their progress is hindered and sometimes halted by adventures innum- 
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for boys who love the fabled life of the frontier .” — Chicago Tribune. 

The Trail of The Seneca 

By James A, Braden 

In which we follow the romantic careers of John Jerome and Return 
Kingdom a little farther. 

These two self-reliant boys are living peaceably in their cabin on the Cuy 
ahoga when an Indian warrior is found dead in the woods nearby. The Seneca 
accuses John of witchcraft. This means death at the stake if he is captured. 
They decide that the Seneca’s charge is made to shield himself, and set out to 
prove it. Mad Anthony, then on the Ohio, comes to their aid, but all their ef- 
forts prove futile and the lone cabin is found in ashes on their return. 


Captives Three 

By James A, Braden 

A tale of frontier life, and how three children — two boys and a girl — 
attempt to reach the settlements in a canoe, but are captured by the Indians. 
A common enough occurrence in the days of our great-grandfathers has been 
woven into a thrilling story. 


The Auto Boys 

By James A, Braden 

Four healthy, vigorous, ambitious boys decide to own an automobile — a 
thirty horse-power, four cylinder touring car. They put their plan through, 
and by the end of the summer make the last payment on the automobile and 
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who has wished to sit at the wheel and to feel the throb of the engine will pore 
over these pages with intense interest. 

Bound in cloth, i2mo, illustrated, each, $i.oo. 


Mary E. Irele^nd Books 

*■ . j 

Pixy’s Holiday Journey 
Timothy atnd His Friends 



Pixy's Holiday Journey 

By Mary E* Ireland 

The story of many a boy is very closely interwoven with the fortunes 
his dog. It therefore happens that the adventures here chronicled would ne’< 
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When three German schoolboys plan a walking trip to Frankfort-on-t! 
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Cloth, i 2 mo, illustrated, $i.oo. 


Timothy and His Friends 

By Mary E» Ireland 


A poor little newsboy in New York City is the proud owner of a ( 
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How Timothy finds his little playmate who crosses the ocean with him, ^ 
who Mark Ogilvie really is, will prove interesting reading to all ^ 

Cloth, lamo, illustrated, $i.oa 

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37 


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